Is it OK to sleep 11 hours on weekends and 5–6 on weekdays?
– Damon
Our bodies (and minds) need a certain amount of sleep each night to be at their
best. Although you might feel great on Monday after a weekend sleepfest, all that
shuteye won't help your performance the rest of the week.
Here's why:
Our bodies can only catch up on sleep. They can't store extra
sleep to help us function in the days ahead. If you sleep a lot over the weekend but
go back to skimping on Monday night, you won't be at your best on Tuesday. You may
not notice you're tired, but you won't be operating at your peak. And if you continue
this pattern all week, your body will be seriously dragging by Friday.
How will this affect you? Sleep fuels our daily activities, whether it's doing
well on tests, competing in sports, mastering skateboard tricks, concentrating while
driving, or handling stressful situations. That's why experts recommend that teens
get 8–10 hours of
sleep a night.
Sticking to a similar sleep schedule during the week and the weekend can help you
fall asleep at night and have enough energy during the day.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Date reviewed: August 2019