Ever enjoyed sleeping in on weekends without a care in the world? New research from US universities suggests that extra weekend sleep may play a protective role against depression among teenagers and young adults.
According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, young people aged 16 to 24 who caught up on sleep during weekends had a 41 percent lower risk of experiencing symptoms of depression compared to those who did not extend their sleep.
The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Oregon and State University of New York Upstate Medical University, who analyzed data from the 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Health experts generally recommend that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, but researchers noted that this target is often difficult to achieve due to academic pressure, extracurricular commitments, and part-time work.
Melynda Casement, a licensed psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oregon, explained that while consistent sleep schedules are ideal, they are not always realistic for adolescents.
“Sleep researchers and clinicians have long recommended that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep at a regular time every day of the week, but that’s just not practical for a lot of adolescents,” she said.
Casement added that weekend lie-ins may still provide meaningful benefits, particularly because teenagers naturally tend to stay up later.
“It’s normal for teens to be night owls, so letting them catch up on sleep during weekends can be somewhat protective if they’re not getting enough rest during the week,” she noted.
As part of the study, participants reported their usual bedtimes and wake-up times on weekdays and weekends. Researchers calculated weekend catch-up sleep by comparing average sleep duration across the week. Participants who reported feeling sad or depressed every day were classified as having symptoms of depression.
Casement further explained that sleep patterns naturally shift during adolescence, with teenagers becoming more night-oriented until around the ages of 18 to 20, after which sleep cycles gradually shift earlier again.
She emphasized that the findings are especially important because depression is one of the leading causes of disability among people aged 16 to 24.
“This age group is of particular interest when trying to understand risk factors for depression and how sleep-related interventions might help,” she said.
Depression is a common mental health condition that affects mood, thinking, and daily functioning. It goes beyond temporary sadness and can include persistent low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of hopelessness.
