#sleep cycle and weekends
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Sleeping In on Weekends: Healthy Habit or Myth?
Image Credit: Ketut Subiyanto
After a long week of running around, cramming deadlines, and, let’s be honest, not getting enough sleep, those extra hours under the covers feel like a well-deserved reward. But, does sleeping in on weekends really help us catch up on sleep, or are we just fooling ourselves 🧐?
The Truth About "Catching up" on Sleep
We've all been there (at least I have) burning the candle at both ends Monday to Friday, then trying to make up for it by sleeping until noon on Saturday. It feels good, right? But the science says otherwise. When we don't get adequate sleep during the week, our bodies don’t just press a reset button on the weekend.
Sleep researchers (the smart nerdy guys) have discovered something important, “you can’t really catch up on lost sleep”. Sure, a few extra hours might help you feel more refreshed temporarily, but serious sleep deprivation can't be erased by two days of sleeping in. Your body and brain miss out on deep, restorative sleep, and no amount of weekend lie-ins can replace that.
In fact, studies suggest that irregular sleep patterns like skimping on sleep during the week and overcompensating on the weekends can mess with your internal clock, making it harder to establish a healthy routine. So, while that Saturday morning snooze might feel wonderful, it’s not a quick fix.
How Your Body Tries to Compensate
Now, here’s where it gets interesting, (your body is smarter than you think). When you repeatedly cut corners on sleep, your body compensates in subtle ways. It might trigger more light sleep instead of deep sleep, or even alter your mood and energy levels throughout the day.
But note that your body’s compensation mechanisms can only do so much. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation leads to issues like weakened immune function, mood swings, and increased risk of serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes. In other words, nature tries to balance the scales, but you’re not getting away with poor sleep habits scot-free.
Breakfast: A Helpful Tool
So, what can you do if you're struggling with sleep? “Don't skip breakfast”.
Yeah, yeah, I know it might sound unrelated, but eating a nutritious breakfast can actually help regulate your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which controls your sleep-wake cycle.
When you have a consistent morning routine that includes breakfast, it signals to your body that it’s time to wake up and be active. This sets you up for a more predictable sleep cycle later on.
Plus, a balanced breakfast can help stabilize your blood sugar levels, which might reduce those mid-afternoon crashes that often have us reaching for caffeine, more on that in a bit.
Go Easy on Your Coffee
Speaking of caffeine, let’s talk about the role it plays in this whole sleep equation. If you’ve been relying on coffee to power through your tired days, you’re not alone.
Sure, it gives you that quick jolt of energy, but it also disrupts your sleep cycle, especially if consumed later in the day. Even if you fall asleep after your afternoon espresso, the quality of your sleep might be compromised, leading to that groggy, sluggish feeling when you wake up.
Instead of relying on caffeine, try focusing on hydration and energy-boosting foods like fruits, nuts, or a quick walk outside to reset your energy levels naturally. Trust me, your future self will thank you when you can fall asleep more easily at night.
Tips for Better Sleep (No Lie-ins Required)
Here are a few tips to help you get a better night’s sleep without needing to play catch-up:
1. Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body’s internal clock. Yes, even on weekends.
2. Limit Screen Time Before Bed: The blue light from screens can interfere with your melatonin levels, making it harder to fall asleep. Try to shut off your devices at least an hour before bedtime.
3. Wind Down with a Routine: Incorporate relaxing activities into your bedtime routine, like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing deep breathing exercises.
4. Get Moving During the Day: Regular physical activity promotes better sleep, just make sure you’re not exercising too close to bedtime.
5. Keep Your Sleep Environment Comfortable: 'Different strokes work for different folks' but a cool, dark, and quiet room is key to falling and staying asleep.
With all that said, it doesn’t mean you need to give up the occasional lazy Saturday morning, but don’t let it become your go-to strategy for managing sleep.
After all, consistency is key, and small changes to your daily routine can have a big impact on your overall health.
Signing out, Kad👌
References
Harvard Medical School. (2020). "The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body."
National Sleep Foundation. (2019). "Caffeine and Sleep."
#sleeping beauty#i should be sleeping#nap#sleeping in on weekends#is sleeping in healthy#weekend#weekend vibes#weekend sleep habits#benefits of weekend lie-ins#myth about sleeping in#myths#myths and legends#sleep deprivation recovery#sleep health tips#sleep cycle and weekends#i need sleep#weekend sleep patterns#health effects of sleeping in
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been a minute since i drew a dissociated fern
the wrong one likes him
#i reset my sleep cycle and am feeling a little better after taking a long weekend#gonna finish that fem huntbunny thing and bubbline song comic tomorrow i think#adventure time#finn mertens#fern the human#finn the human#feral fern#finnfern
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every morning i drink a very large cup of coffee to fend off the sleep deprivation headache even though i know the coffee will make my stomach hurt later and i am comforted mostly by thinking about the declanlynchcore of it all
#the sleep deprivation headache isn’t even actually a sleep deprivation headache#it’s because i get 4 hours of sleep on tuesday and thursday and an upwards of 10 hours on the weekends#which i think is actually more unhealthy but i’m not an expert#declan lynch#the dreamer trilogy#tdt#greywaren#mister impossible#mi#call down the hawk#cdth#the raven cycle#trc
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Desperately trying to salvage the three day weekend with anything I could possibly do as if I even have a mind for writing right now
#One's Notebook#this weekend has sucked#and right bsck to work tomorrow#what was even the fucking point#i love not sleeping i love accomplishing nothing i love making no strides towards my goals#i love realizing im stuck in an endless capitalist cycle and am doom to live a life of mediocre desk work
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Song of the Day: March 19
"Let Me Drown" by Orville Peck
#song of the day#oh talk about a big-voice song! I can't quite do it justice but it is damn good to sing#did work on a bunch of not-work things today even though I have a big tricky project I have to give an official update on for Friday#but it's so much more fun to plan my garden and talk to Duncan about setting up a paludarium for the bullfrog he wants to keep#I'm going to have to tell my boss that I /can/ do what she wants but I don't think it'll help with any of the things she wants it for#and aaaahhhh she's not gonna like that. she's not gonna like that at all. I don't want to have that conversation#anyway I'm gonna plant my peas on Thursday! spring coming to save my life#going to the pet store hopefully this weekend to get a filter system so the water in Duncan's tank can start cycling#gonna trim down my spiderwort and see if I can't get some of the cuts to root by the time the tank's ready for live plants#plans! projects! I made palak paneer for dinner tonight and it was good. someday soon I'll sleep! and then Friday I will talk to my boss!#because if I don't do my job then I won't have any money and then I won't be able to afford plants and frog rocks and then we all cry
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i feel like i hardly ever take sick days when i’m actually sick, it’s almost always when i’m just sleep deprived
#like i worked the entire time i had covid and the entire time i had bronchitis but if i get < 3 hrs of sleep i’m calling out#it is 5am and guess how much sleep I’ve gotten!!!! the answer is not zero but not much more than that 🤪#i’ve had some insomnia for the last few nights but tonight has been horrible and i’m not even gonna pretend to do my job today lmao#i got stuck in that not sleeping enough/drinking coffee to cope/not sleeping bc coffee cycle#usually i can get unstuck by taking a day off my adhd meds which absolutely exhausts me and then i sleep fine#i was gonna wait until the weekend but looks like that day is gonna have to be today lmao#m.txt
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WRACKED WITH STRESS & ANXIETY
#☼.txt#MY PARENTS + MY OLDER BROTHER ARE BEING EXCEPTIONALLY LGBTPHOBIC RECENTLY (V VOCAL ABOUT IT FOR REASONS) &#I UHHHHHHH BOUGHT A BINDER FOR MYSELF LAST WEEKEND & HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL WEEK FOR IT TO ARRIVE WHILR EVERYONE WAS AT WORK#BUT NOW. IT LOOKS LIKE. IT WILL BE ARRIVING WHEN BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE AT FUCKING HOME#SO JUST. A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF ME CHECKING & REFRESHING THE PACKAGE TRACKING PAGE TO SEE WHERE IT IS AT#I DIDNT SLEEP LAST NIGHT BC I AM STREEEEEESSED HAHA </3
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Month 2, day 28, I turned 35 and I fixed the necklace bounce! *celebratory kazoo noises*
Or at least I'm satisfied with the necklace bounce as it is right now; I may change my mind tomorrow XD
#the great artscapade of 2023#art#my art#my animation#walk cycle#oc: mizu#I went out to lunch with my mom and my aunt and my brother#we were gonna do brunch but the place we wanted to go only does brunch on the weekends#but the food was still good even if it wasn't the caramel banana waffles and bacon that I wanted XD#and then I played Forspoken for a few hours n_n#it was a good birthday but I'm going to go to sleep now XD
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hm. i have got to get kinder
#<- is sleep deprived and did something kind of cliquey and is now going to wallow in it for the weekend#i just. damn. i like being nice. and i don’t like how easily i’m influenced by other people#like okay i do think my friends are all good people i believe that SO fully and i think i’m just fatigued and it’s making me paranoid & sad#but i keep going thru these cycles and i need to just stop talking shit bc it’s not inherently bad it’s like. a real part of socialization#- but it makes me feel So shit after#ted talks
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I feel like my meds keep wearing off earlier and earlier in the day ugh.. having to lie down now im home from work I'm shattered :-(
#was out of it from 2pm i had a whole 2 hours at work where i couldnt tell u what i even did. just so exhausted and empty#and i keep forgetting basic shit. thf i slept badly last night so this isnt representative of every day on meds#trying to keep that in mind before i start wailing abt how they dont work bc they DO. but ONLY if i sleep and eat properly#ah i dont know.. im gonna go to bed early tn anyway im getting rly irritable again#i think i might be coming down w a cold actually my sinuses feel a bit inflamed#so there we go#but yeah ill get back to my dr abt supplementing w short release. and we'll see.#if that doesnt work ill try a week or 2 more at this dose and then decide whether to stick with it or give up on meds#well i dont want to give up. but im rly apprehensive abt non stimulants bc ive heard the ones she suggested can stop periods#and anything that fucks w my cycle always messes me up badly... idk what it is. hormones i guess#and some ppl have said they got rly bad mood swings on them n shit. if i have worse mood swings u wont hear from me again 👍#ah shit i have a nosebleed#changed my mjnd i was gonna take a cold shower but im putting the hot water on i need a long one#ill eat now while its heating up. and then msg dr. and then play a FUCKING videogame bc i haven't all weekend i feel insane#.diaries
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jesus christ i hate my body. it's like owning a shitty used car all over again except that I CAN'T SELL IT AND BUY A NEW ONE. unless you would classify orthopedic surgery as doing that and even then that's far in the future and does me no good whatsoever right now
#she bork#tbd#i try to love my body. i really do. i don't like the way it looks but i could get past that and appreciate its function IF IT WERE#FUNCTIONAL. which it is not.#no idea whether my body is punishing me for throwing the truck yesterday or buckling under the hormonal strain of my upcoming cycle or just#deciding to be a dick but the bottom line is that i am exhausted and my body hurts so bad. my wrist my thumb my legs my neck everything. i'm#even having a recurrence of the nerve problems i had in my foot neck in like. TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE. why why why why why. why does my body exist#ONLY to spite me. i swear to god if i get home and i can't put in my fucking words bc of how my body feels i'm gonna freak. i am SO CLOSE TO#THE END DO NAWT NERF ME AT THE FINISH LINE#*my foot BACK in like 2021 lol. even my typos mock me#jesus i just can't emphasize enough how fucking bad my body hurts. my wrist and thumb feel like they have fucking ground glass in them (idk#about my wrist but ik my thumb has a bone spur and that's probably close enough lol). my foot feels like someone is stabbing it w a dull#knife right in that tender spot by the inner ankle bone and making it ache. i feel fucking exhausted and a little sick? idk how even just#like Not Good or like just Off. and i'm STILL at work and then tomorrow i STILL have to run the truck again and then i'm finally off#thursday. jesus fucking christ if i have to spend all weekend sleeping to get over this bullshit i am gonna be SO mad
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there is a definite pain in me
#i've done minimal and my day never started </3#this happens to me every weekend i get i'm in a big dumb cycle of ruining my sleep schedule and shutting out the world#t
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#it really says something that i would rather die than have to repeat the endless cycle of another year#like it's always the same#go to work every day at a job i no longer like#weekend spent trying to recover#rinse and repeat#i cry thinking about just. the journey to work#waking up and getting out of bed#and i cant physically afford to do anything to change it#I can't move house#I can't afford not to have a job#i can barely afford groceries#or to indulge in my hobbies#im just sad and frustrated and lonely#and that makes the forever sleep sound so tempting#the idea that i could just decide I'm done and switch off forever#but I'm too lazy to even do that#i dont fucking know#i'm just tired#personal#delete later#tw sui ideation#tw sui vent#tw suicidal thoughts#tw depressing thoughts#tw vent
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Harder than one might think to adjust to my dad's retirement
Like, for lunch i usually go downstairs and watch YouTube while I eat but dad was reading in the chair I usually sit in and i couldn't just barge in and turn on the tv
Not just that I couldn't watch TV! But my back hurts and I dont like sitting in the same place all day, give it a break. And I don't like staying in my room all day-- I need space otherwise i feel like I'm quarantined w covid and I'm just looking at the same things ALL the time and I go crazy. Idk, I'm ok w small space a lot but there's a limit. I do need to like feel not just all cramped all th time.
I felt really horrible and felt like screaming (I guess i also don't adjust well to new things...) then I went in moms room (she's at work) and watched YouTube with lunch. I also don't feel comfortable watching things w swear words w my parents there bc they make Comments. I'm not totally free here and I need to move out.
I dont usually go in moms room bc its more convenient to make lunch and not take it upstairs plus the downstairs is bigger. But it was kind of nice there. I could watch what I wanted. -- and without having to look at my kindle screen which is small and close up. I don't want to look at the same screens all day either, I'm already on my computer most of the day, I need something further away so I don't lose what vision i have.
Nice to be in a different space, kind of pretend I have my own apartment up here (rather than just 1 room).
#trying to find the good things#going crazy#adjustment#i did not get much done today#but i do work on weekend#i hope i sleep better tonight#i have to somehow NOT start a whole thinking cycle 2 hrs before i want to wake up
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man. People get so upset when you call things social constructs. Thinking that if you say something is a social construct that means it's fake and unnatural, and following that, that that means it’s bad. Something being a social construct means that it’s socially constructed. That’s it.
Money is a social construct. Weekends are a social construct. Vegetables are a social construct.
That doesn’t mean it’s okay if my paycheck is withheld or my rent is late. Doesn’t mean I don’t luxuriate in sleeping in on Saturday. Doesn’t mean the nutrients in tomatoes or spinach aren’t good for you.
What it means is that the way we think about things is socially constructed, and could be constructed a different way. Why do we base our society around money? What does value mean outside of money? What is “value”? The way we construct it isn’t the only possible way.
Why is a week a cycle of seven days, and five of those days are for working and two of those days are for resting? Could we organize our time differently? Should we? What would that look like? Other cultures don’t/didn’t have seven-day weeks with a five on-two off cycle. It’s not inevitable. It’s historically and culturally specific.
“Fruit” has a scientific definition but “vegetable” does not. Many parts of plants are culinarily defined as vegetables. Fruits (eggplant, avocado, tomato), stems (celery, asparagus), leaves (kale, lettuce), roots (carrots, potatoes, turnips)… all of these are culturally categorized as vegetables. And nutrition advice is based on this cultural categorization. Is a mushroom a vegetable? It’s not even a plant! Why do we categorize it this way? Why isn’t wheat or oats considered vegetables, but corn is, except when it isn’t? Could we categorize our plant-based food other ways?
Calling these social constructs doesn’t mean they’re bad or unimportant. It just calls attention to the fact that they aren’t inevitable. That they could be constructed in different ways, and that is worth thinking about, and thinking about the value we get in constructing things the way we do.
Gender is a social construct.
Romance is a social construct.
They are based on feelings, desires, and experiences, but how we name and categorize and express and act on them are fully culturally constructed. Other cultures do and have constructed these concepts in other ways. You can like the way we do it now. You can find it stifling. But the way we do it now is not the only, inevitable, inherent, real way. It could be done other ways, organized and categorized and conceptualized in other ways. And that’s not a bad thing either.
#Social constructs aren’t bad. They’re how we understand and organize the world#But they aren’t inherent inevitable and immoveable either#Social constructs
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Me: I'm absolutely fine, I don't need to go back on my antidepressants.
Also me: has been wearing the same shirt for three days and hasn't showered in just as long.
#the laundry is clean but it is piling up#because i am absolutely incapable of folding it#i cancelled plans last weekend#my sleep cycle is even more fucked than usual#it's not looking good#mental health#depression#i am going to shower tomorrow morning tho#and no i do not want to hear anybody's thoughts on my hygiene#do you think this is something I'm proud of#do you think this is how i want to be
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