Sleeping in on weekends to make up for lost sleep during the week may support mental health in teenagers and young adults, according to new research from the University of Oregon and SUNY Upstate Medical University.
The study found that people aged 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 catch up on sleep on weekends, weekend “catch-up” sleepers had a 41% lower risk of depressive symptoms.
The findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, add to growing evidence that sleep plays a key role in adolescent mental health. Teens and young adults often struggle to get enough rest and are also at higher risk for depression, yet this age group has rarely been the focus of research specifically examining weekend catch-up sleep.
Can Sleeping In on Weekends Help Protect Teen Mental Health?
The research is among the first to look at weekend catch-up sleep in a typical U.S. sample of adolescents and young adults. Earlier studies on the topic mainly examined school-age teens in China and South Korea.
Many U.S. teens build up sleep debt during the school week while balancing academics, social life, extracurricular activities and, in some cases, part-time jobs.
“Sleep researchers and clinicians have long recommended that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep at a regular time every day of the week, but that’s just not practical for a lot of adolescents, or people generally,” said Melynda Casement, a licensed psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oregon. She co-authored the paper with Jason Carbone of SUNY Upstate Medical University.
While the researchers emphasize that a consistent eight to 10 hours nightly remains the ideal, they also acknowledge that many teens cannot reach that goal on weekdays. In those cases, sleeping longer on weekends may help lower the risk of depressive symptoms.
Casement noted that it is normal for teens to have later sleep schedules and suggested that weekend catch-up sleep may be “somewhat protective” when weekday rest falls short.
What the Study Found About Sleep and Depression
The researchers analyzed data from participants aged 16 to 24 who took part in the 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants reported their usual bedtimes and wake times on weekdays and on weekends.
From those reports, the team calculated weekend catch-up sleep by comparing the average amount of sleep per weekend day with the average per weekday. Participants also reported on their emotional well-being and were considered to have symptoms of depression if they said they felt sad or depressed every day.
Why Teen Sleep Schedules Naturally Shift
Adolescents’ circadian rhythms naturally shift as they grow, making it harder to fall asleep early even when they are tired.
Casement explained that sleep onset tends to get later through adolescence until roughly ages 18 to 20, after which it typically begins to shift earlier again.
For many teens, a natural sleep window may look more like 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., which often conflicts with early school start times in the United States. Because of that mismatch, many sleep experts and health care providers support delaying school start times as a public health measure.
Why Teen Mental Health Is a Growing Concern
Depression is among the leading causes of disability in people aged 16 to 24. In this context, disability can mean disruptions to everyday functioning—such as missing work, arriving late, or falling behind on responsibilities.
This makes this age group especially important for understanding risk factors for depression and identifying interventions that could help reduce it, Casement said.
