(NewsNation) — Using the weekend to catch up on sleep may reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 20%, according to a new study.

A UK Biobank study of more than 90,000 people showed the people who received the most weekend catch-up sleep were less likely to develop heart disease.

 “Our results show that for the significant proportion of the population in modern society that suffers from sleep deprivation, those who have the most ‘catch-up’ sleep at weekends have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those with the least,” said one of the study’s authors, Zechen Liu. 

Experts previously believed it was impossible to truly “catch up” on lost sleep. However, more recent studies suggest indulging in those extra hours of rest on the weekend may have health benefits.

A separate 2018 study found that people who slept four to six hours each night during the week and then “caught up on weekends” lived longer than those who carried their sleep debt into the next week. Another 2020 study suggested that “catch-up sleep” may be associated with reduced low-grade inflammation, and in 2023, researchers said sleeping in on the weekends may have benefits for adolescents, who tend to need more and get less sleep.

Research in this area is still developing, and some studies suggest oversleeping and undersleeping have similar consequences.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends going to bed and waking up at the same time each day to improve sleep. Adults ages 18 to 60 should get seven or more hours of sleep nightly. School-aged children may need as many as 12 hours of sleep, while teenagers generally require eight to 10 hours.