Sleeping in at the weekend can stave off depression.
Sleeping in at weekends can ward off depression
Experts have found that those who get 'catch-up sleep' by having a lie-in at the weekend are less likely to experience symptoms of the mental disorder.
A team from China's Central South University assessed data on almost 8,000 people who completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms and their quality of sleep and found that those who got an extra hour or two of rest on weekend mornings were 46 per cent less likely to display signs of depression.
Detailed analysis revealed that the benefits were most evident in those who slept for six hours or less on weekdays and in men under the age of 65.
The researchers wrote in the Journal of Affective Disorders: "Weekend catch-up sleep of 0-2 hours was related to decreased odds of depressive symptoms.
"Our findings may provide additional epidemiological evidence for the effects of sleep on depressive symptoms."