The study involved young people aged 16 to 24. Those who used the weekends to catch up on sleep reported fewer symptoms of depression compared to those who did not.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, confirm the growing evidence of the importance of sleep for the mental health of youth. Teenagers often struggle with sleep and are simultaneously at high risk for developing depression; however, research on compensatory sleep in this age group has been rare.
This study was the first to focus on compensating for sleep deficits on weekends among typical American teenagers and young adults. Previously, many studies had focused on schoolchildren from China and Korea. Many teenagers in the U.S. accumulate sleep deficits during the school week due to studying, socializing with friends, extracurricular activities, and work.
Melinda Kaysment, an associate professor at the University of Oregon and head of the Sleep Laboratory, points out that doctors and researchers have long recommended that teenagers sleep between eight to ten hours each night. However, she acknowledges that for many young people, this requirement is difficult to meet.
While researchers emphasize that it is optimal to adhere to a sleep schedule of eight to ten hours each night, they also recognize that this is not always possible. If teenagers cannot achieve this goal during the week, then extended sleep on weekends may help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.
Kaysment notes that it is normal for teenagers to be "night owls," so parents should allow their children to sleep in on weekends if they are sleep-deprived during the week. This can have a positive impact on their mental state.
The study analyzed data from participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2021 to 2023. Participants reported their sleep patterns on weekdays and weekends, and based on this data, the researchers assessed the amount of compensatory sleep by comparing sleep duration on weekends with weekdays. Participants also shared their emotional state and were categorized as having depressive symptoms if they experienced sadness or hopelessness daily.
Circadian rhythms, which regulate biological sleep cycles, naturally shift during adolescence, making it difficult to fall asleep early, even if young people feel tired. As Kaysment notes, teenagers become "night owls," and their bedtime shifts later until around 18-20 years old, after which they start going to bed earlier again.
For many teenagers, the natural sleep time falls between 11:00 PM and 8:00 AM, which often conflicts with early school start times across the country. As a result, many sleep experts and medical professionals support initiatives to push back the start of the school day to a later time as a measure to improve public health.
Depression is one of the leading causes of disability among youth aged 16 to 24. In this context, disability refers to difficulties in daily life, such as missing classes, tardiness, or challenges in completing tasks. This underscores the importance of understanding the risk factors for depression in this age group and developing effective preventive measures.
