METRO DETROIT (WXYZ) — Trying to balance work and home can be a lot And then trying to mix in exercise and enough sleep? It can be overwhelming.
But experts say don't stress. New research says you can catch up over the weekends. I spoke to a sleep doctor, a cardiologist and a couple of metro Detroiters to see how we can balance it all.
It’s not always easy to balance life, but for Meghan Gastorf, a mother of four, it’s nearly impossible. During the week, her nights are short, and she often runs on just three hours of actual sleep.
"How do you function on three hours of actual sleep?" I asked Meghan.
"A lot of caffeine. A lot of caffeine," Meghan replied. "It's terrible. It's horrible. I just don't see any solutions to it other than a lot of caffeine."
Murray Sales says he’s making changes to prioritize his well-being including exercising and shifting his sleep.
"it's been really nice to wake up early and still feel rested when I've been able to go to bed earlier," Murray told me. "It just kind of changes the whole outlook on the day."
But Murray says his sleep is cut short by his morning exercise routine. No matter what sleep or exercise challenges you face, new research says the weekends are your chance to catch up.
A recent study published by the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease in China found that catching up on sleep over the weekend can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 20%.
"The increased risk of cardiovascular diseases are often tied to inflammation in the body," said Dr. Andrea Plawecki
Dr. Plawecki, a double board certified sleep medicine specialist and ear and nose throat surgeon,says lack of sleep can begin a cascade of events in the body including inflammation, high blood pressure, and buildup of stress hormones. She says it’s not surprising that catching up on sleep over the weekend yields big benefits.
"The increased risk of cardiovascular diseases are often tied to inflammation in the body," Dr. Plawecki said. "You're able to actually help with decreasing those inflammatory mediators and give your body the rest that it needs to recover now."
Dr. Shalini Modi, the Service Chief of Cardiology at Henry Ford West Bloomfield, says the link between sleep and cardiovascular disease goes both ways. Better sleep lead to better heart health and heart-pumping exercise and leads to better sleep. And when it comes to exercise, that works even if you have to catch up over the weekend.
"To prevent cardiovascular disease. The three major pillars would be exercise, diet and sleep," Dr. Modi said. "There is scientific data behind that. Now, there was a study published in nature that it is as good as people who do it regularly, Monday through Friday."
That study in Nature Aging says even when participants completed the majority of their physical activity on just two days a week— like the weekend — they saw health benefits similar to those who spread out their exercise, particularly in the area of brain health.
Weekend Warrior Exercise similarly lower risks of:
- Dementia
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s
- Depression
- Anxiety
Dr. Modi says the goal should be 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, but don’t feel bad if life is getting in the way.
"If they cannot get it done throughout the week," Dr. Modi said. "The bottom line is any exercise is better than no exercise at all.
And after that workout, you may want to hit the shower and then hit the hay in the name of better health.
But what if you’re having sleep problems?
When should you turn to a sleep expert? You don't have to wait until you're an insomniac with red, bleary eyes and can barely function.
Experts say that if sleep is a challenge for you, talk to your primary care physician and they may refer you to a sleep expert to help you get the best out of your sleep and ultimately, the best out of your life.
