In Case You Haven't Heard…

Sleeping in on weekends to make up for lost sleep during the week may offer mental health benefits for teenagers and young adults, according to new research from the University of Oregon and the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, ScienceDaily reported Jan. 7. The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders , found that people ages 16 to 24 who caught up on sleep over the weekend were significantly less likely to report symptoms of depression. Compared with those who did not recover from sleep on weekends, this group showed a 41% lower risk of depressive symptoms. The findings add to growing evidence that sleep plays a critical role in adolescent mental health. Teens and young adults face ongoing sleep challenges while also being at higher risk for depression, yet this age group has rarely been examined in studies focused on weekend catch‐up sleep. This research offers one of the first looks at weekend catch‐up sleep among typical adolescents and young adults in the United States.