Days Off: Why Can't I Sleep In?

There are several reasons why you might struggle to sleep in on days off. Firstly, our bodies can get caught in a fight-or-flight response to stress during the workweek, resulting in symptoms like rapid breathing, a high heart rate, and heightened anxiety. When we finally have time to relax on our days off, our bodies may experience a rush of tiredness as they begin to relax and turn off the adrenaline pump. Additionally, overstimulation from back-to-back tasks and constant exposure to screens can lead to mental burnout, making us feel exhausted by the time the weekend arrives. Another factor is sleep debt, which occurs when we don't get enough sleep during the week. Attempting to catch up on sleep by sleeping in for several hours on days off can actually make us more tired, as it disrupts our body's natural sleep rhythm. Social jet lag, caused by changes in our sleep schedule due to social activities, can also contribute to tiredness on days off. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, including on weekends, is crucial for optimal energy levels and overall health.

Messed-up sleep cycle

Maintaining a good sleep cycle is important, and a messed-up sleep cycle can have several negative consequences. Firstly, it can lead to physical and mental health issues. A 2019 study found that women who spent two or more hours catching up on sleep over the weekend were more likely to have poor cardiovascular health. Additionally, sleep debt, which accumulates when you don't get enough sleep, can affect your body's "fight or flight" stress hormones, leading to high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and stroke.

Secondly, a messed-up sleep cycle can result in low energy levels and fatigue. This is because disrupting your body's circadian rhythm or body clock can cause confusion, making it harder for your body to know when it's time to be awake or asleep. This can lead to difficulties falling asleep at night and feeling tired during the day.

To avoid messing up your sleep cycle, it's recommended to limit your lay-ins to an hour or two past your usual wake-up time. This will help you avoid significant disruptions to your body's circadian rhythm. Additionally, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, including on weekends, is essential for a healthy sleep cycle.

If you're struggling with a messed-up sleep cycle, you can try improving your sleep hygiene practices. This includes maintaining a bedtime routine, limiting screen time before bed, and creating a relaxing sleep environment. You can also set an alarm an hour before your desired bedtime to remind yourself to start winding down and preparing for sleep.

Sleep debt

There are a few ways to avoid and recover from sleep debt. Firstly, it is important to learn how much sleep your body needs and improve your sleep hygiene. This includes maintaining a set sleep schedule, developing a nighttime routine, and reconsidering your daytime habits and bedroom environment. Taking naps and sleeping more on the weekends can also help to reduce sleep debt, but it may take several days to recover from the negative effects of sleep loss.

It is important to note that while sleeping in on days off can help to reduce sleep debt, it can also disrupt your body's circadian rhythm if you sleep in for too long or too inconsistently. This can lead to further fatigue and health issues. Therefore, it is recommended to limit your lay-ins to an hour or two past your usual wake-up time.

Circadian rhythm disruption

Circadian rhythm is your body's natural 24-hour clock. It keeps your body operating on a healthy wake-sleep cycle and affects many other systems in your body, such as your hormones, digestion, and body temperature.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are conditions that disrupt or affect your body's natural sleep-wake cycle. They can be caused by several factors, including:

• Jet lag: Traveling to a different time zone can disrupt your body's day/night schedule.
• Shift work: Working night shifts or changing shift timings can make it difficult to adjust your circadian rhythm.
• Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder: This occurs when your sleep/wake schedule is much later than average and is more common in children and teenagers.
• Advanced sleep-wake phase disorder: This is the opposite of delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, where people go to bed and wake up earlier than most.
• Irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder: Sleep and wake times are unpredictable and disorganized, usually affecting those with dementia or degenerative brain diseases.
• Non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder: The circadian rhythm is longer or shorter than the typical 24 hours.

To reset your circadian rhythm, it is recommended to:

• Stick to a daily routine.
• Get morning light exposure to boost wakefulness.
• Engage in daily physical activity.
• Create a restful sleep environment with a comfortable temperature and lighting.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, especially in the evenings.
• Limit screen time before bed, as blue light can disrupt sleep.
• Avoid late afternoon or evening naps.

Social jet lag

Social jetlag is a phenomenon that occurs when there is a discrepancy between the sleep patterns of workdays and free days. It is a form of circadian misalignment, which happens when there is a mismatch between environmental time and the body's internal time.

The term 'social jetlag' was inspired by a study that showed people who slept at different times during the working week and the weekends had increased tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol consumption compared to those with consistent sleep patterns. It quantifies the difference in mid-sleep times on nights before work or school days and those before work-free days.

Social jetlag can have several adverse effects on health and well-being. It can lead to:

• Impaired sleep and cognitive performance: Social jetlag can result in sleep debt, chronic sleep deprivation, poor sleep quality, and reduced cognitive performance.
• Metabolic diseases: Social jetlag has been linked to metabolic changes, including increased cortisol levels, abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and impaired carbohydrate homeostasis. These changes may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type-2 diabetes.
• Adverse cardiovascular outputs: Some studies suggest an association between social jetlag and increased resting heart rate, which is a predictor of cardiovascular mortality.
• Psychiatric disorders: There is a positive correlation between the severity of depressive symptoms and the hours of social jetlag experienced. Social jetlag has also been linked to anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

To mitigate the negative impacts of social jetlag, it is recommended to:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule: Try to maintain the same wake and bedtime routine every day, including weekends, to sync your sleep schedule with your natural circadian rhythm.
• Improve sleep hygiene: Adopt healthy sleep habits, such as creating an optimal environment for sleep, reducing screen time before bedtime, and getting enough sunlight and exercise during the day.
• Manage light exposure: Increase exposure to blue light in the morning and decrease it in the evening to help shift your circadian clock and improve sleep timing.

Workday habits

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends and days off. This helps regulate your body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which plays a vital role in sleep-wake cycles.

Prioritize sleep: Make sleep a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Practice a relaxing bedtime routine: Engage in relaxing activities before bed to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. This could include reading a book, listening to soothing music, or practising meditation or yoga.

Avoid stimulants close to bedtime: Stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can interfere with your sleep. Avoid consuming these substances close to bedtime to give your body enough time to wind down before sleep.

Limit exposure to electronics: The blue light emitted by electronic devices can disrupt your sleep. Avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime, and consider leaving your phone in another room to reduce the temptation to check emails or work notifications.

Exercise earlier in the day: While exercise is essential for overall health, engaging in physical activity too close to bedtime may act as a stimulant and make it harder to fall asleep. Try to exercise earlier in the day to improve your sleep quality.

Manage work stress: Work stress can significantly impact your sleep quality. Adopt stress management techniques such as meditation or deep breathing to help you relax. Additionally, try to disconnect from work emails and notifications after working hours to give your mind a break.

Plan your tasks: A busy work schedule can lead to stress and sleep disruption. Plan your tasks efficiently, prioritize self-care, and set clear boundaries to create a healthier work-life balance.

By incorporating these workday habits into your routine, you can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being, making it easier to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on days off.

Frequently asked questions