{
  "id": 4462772,
  "title": "‘People should not feel guilty’: weekend lie-in may be good for you, experts say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/people-should-not-feel-guilty-weekend-lie-in-may-be-good-for-you",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-30T17:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Health",
    "slug": "guardian-health",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/aug/30/sleeping-in-weekend-may-be-good-for-you-study"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Experts are now suggesting that a weekend lie-in may have health benefits, including a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. For years, they have warned against the risks of catch-up sleep, claiming it can disrupt the body's internal clock and trigger adverse health effects. However, a new study suggests that a modest amount of extra sleep at the end of a long week could be beneficial.\n\nThe study, presented at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology, analyzed data from 40,000 adults in South Korea over seven years. Researchers found that weekend catch-up sleep – defined as the difference between weekend and weekday sleep duration – was associated with a 6% reduction in the odds of hypertension. This effect was even more pronounced in physically inactive individuals, who were 6.9% less likely to have hypertension if they slept in on weekends.\n\nAccording to the study author, Dr. Nawon Lee of Korea University in Seoul, the ideal amount of weekend catch-up sleep is about 1 hour and 27 minutes. This is the amount of sleep that would reduce the likelihood of high blood pressure by 9%. Getting too much extra sleep, however, could be harmful. People who slept in for more than four hours on weekends were at a greater risk of hypertension.\n\nWhile experts agree that maintaining a regular bedtime and wake-up time is crucial for good health, this new research suggests that a moderate amount of weekend catch-up sleep may be beneficial. Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist and clinical director of the British Heart Foundation, said that many people struggle to get enough sleep during the week due to work, family, and social commitments, so it's understandable if they enjoy a lie-in at the weekend to catch up on missed sleep. She emphasized that getting some extra sleep on the weekend is not a reason to neglect physical activity, but it may be something to feel good about instead of guilty about.",
  "summary": "Previous advice stressed risks of sleeping in but about 90 minutes extra could prevent high blood pressure For years, experts have stressed the risks of lie-ins, warning that catching up on missed sleep at the weekend can disrupt the body’s internal clock and trigger adverse health effects. Now analysis has produced a heartening caveat to that advice: if you do not overdo it, weekend lie-ins may…",
  "key_points": [
    "Weekend lie-in may lower hypertension risk by 6%",
    "Physically inactive individuals benefit most from extra sleep",
    "Ideal weekend catch-up sleep is 1 hour 27 minutes"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}