It's advisable to maintain a regular bedtime routine at night.
Suarajatim.com - Feeling exhausted on Mondays, despite sleeping longer over the weekend? Well, here's the answer. The 'revenge' of sleeping in on the weekend may seem enjoyable, but several health risks lurk behind this habit. From the threat of stroke, diabetes to a decrease in sexual desire.
Lounging around on holidays is one of the most anticipated activities when the weekend arrives. Starting from waking up late, spending hours in bed, to 'revenge' sleeping all day often becomes a mandatory menu after a week of exhausting work.
But did you know that this habit can actually be dangerous for your health?
Research conducted by Cambridge University found that stroke could be experienced by those who sleep longer on the weekends. The study, published in the journal Neurology Reports, was conducted over 9 years involving 10,000 male and female respondents aged 42 to 81 years.
At the beginning of the study, respondents were asked how long they spent sleeping at night. Similar questions were then asked four years later.
During the study period, 346 male and female respondents who slept too long experienced a stroke. This finding indicates a close relationship between sleep duration and a disease that is now the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
Another study was conducted in America with 447 healthy male and female respondents aged 30 to 54 years. Respondents were part-time and full-time workers with a minimum work time of 25 hours per week.
As reported by The New York Times, the research results showed that respondents with the longest difference in sleep time between weekdays and weekends had higher levels of bad cholesterol, higher blood sugar levels, and a greater risk of obesity compared to respondents with a more regular sleep pattern on weekdays and weekends.
According to Independent Sleep Expert, Dr. Neil Stanley, someone who spends too much time sleeping is an indication of health problems. People who sleep more than 8 hours, have a 46% higher risk of experiencing a stroke.
Sleeping too long can trigger an increase in inflammation in the body and disrupt the cardiovascular system, which is dangerous for the heart.
Meanwhile, according to psychologist and sleep expert Susanna Jernelov, seeking revenge sleep on the weekend will disrupt the body's circadian rhythm and leave the body in a jet-lagged condition. As a result, the body will feel tired and exhausted on Mondays.
"Paying for it with a day-long sleep on the weekend will only further disrupt the circadian rhythm. Ideally, everyone should be able to maintain a regular sleep schedule every day. This applies even when the weekend arrives."
Not only does it disrupt the body's rhythm, but a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism also links the habit of sleeping excessively on the weekend to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease due to increased levels of sugar and bad fats in the blood.
The habit of seeking revenge on the weekend can also disrupt the body's immune system. The body feels tired and requires longer stretching time upon waking. This is commonly referred to as 'sleep drunkenness'.
The signs usually involve feeling dizzy upon waking up. A tired body after excessive sleep will make a person easily irritable, damaging mood which will then affect one's sexual desire.
To avoid these risks, Dr. Stanley suggests that it's best to maintain a regular bedtime routine at night. If on weekdays the sleep time is 4 or 5 hours, it's advisable not to exceed this routine time on weekends as a key to staying healthy.