For teenagers, sleep is often the first thing sacrificed in busy weekday schedules filled with school, homework, and screens. But new research suggests there may be a way to catch up—at least a little—without disrupting their mental well-being.A recent study led by Sojeong Kim, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Oregon, offers fresh insight into the connection between weekend sleep and teen anxiety. The findings, presented at the SLEEP 2025 conference, reveal that moderate catch-up sleep on weekends—specifically less than two hours more than usual—can help lower anxiety symptoms in adolescents. But too much extra sleep, or none at all, might actually do more harm than good.
A sleep “sweet spot” for teen mental health
The study analysed sleep data from 1,877 teens aged 12 to 15 across the United States. Researchers used Fitbit trackers to measure their sleep duration and used a standardised tool, the Child Behavior Checklist, to assess anxiety and emotional symptoms.The results showed a U-shaped pattern: teens who didn’t get extra sleep on weekends, as well as those who overslept by more than two hours, had higher levels of anxiety. But those who managed to get just a bit more rest—between one and two hours—reported feeling calmer and more emotionally balanced.“Too little or too much sleep variability from weekday to weekend may contribute to the symptoms someone is trying to combat, like mental fatigue and anxiety,” explained Kim in a press release. “It’s about finding the right balance.”
Why aren’t teens sleeping enough?
According to the CDC, only 23% of high school students in the U.S. get the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep per night. Most teens average just six to seven hours—far below what their developing brains and bodies require.Experts point to a range of factors: late-night screen time, caffeine use, homework overload, and social commitments. But one of the biggest issues, says Dr. Wendy Troxel, senior behavioural scientist at the RAND Corporation, is early school start times. “Our teens are biologically wired to fall asleep and wake up later, especially during puberty,” said Dr. Troxel, “Asking them to function at 7 a.m. is like asking an adult to be alert at 4 in the morning.”
The danger of too much catch-up sleep
Oversleeping on weekends—more than two hours past a teen’s weekday wake-up time—can throw off their circadian rhythm. This leads to something called “social jetlag,” where the body’s sleep-wake cycle becomes desynchronised. The result? Struggling to fall asleep on Sunday night and dragging through Monday morning like you’ve flown across time zones.According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, this inconsistency can affect focus, mood, decision-making, and long-term emotional health.
What teens and parents can do
This research doesn’t mean teens shouldn’t sleep in at all. Quite the opposite—moderate weekend rest appears to help reset the system after a week of sleep loss. But the key word here is moderate, which can be achieved by the following measures.
- Aim for consistency: Encourage a sleep routine that’s roughly the same on weekends and weekdays—ideally within a 1–2 hour difference.
- Limit screen time at night: Blue light from phones and laptops interferes with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep.
- Keep naps short: If teens are exhausted, short 20–30 minute naps are better than long ones that disrupt nighttime sleep.
- Rethink school schedules: Advocating for later school start times—as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics—could help address the root of chronic sleep deprivation.
Why this research matters
Sleep isn’t just about feeling rested—it’s directly tied to how teens think, feel, and behave. Chronic sleep loss has been linked to depression, anxiety, risk-taking behaviour, and even poor academic performance.“This study highlights the importance of sleep for teens’ mental well-being, but also shows that more isn’t always better,” said Dr. Shelby Harris, a psychologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “It’s not just about quantity—it’s about rhythm and balance.”Letting teens catch up on sleep over the weekend—by up to two hours—can be a helpful and healthy habit. It can ease anxiety, restore energy, and offer some relief from the demands of busy school weeks. But overdoing it may lead to more stress and irregular sleep patternsAlso Read: Health benefits of Vitamin B6 for your body and how to avoid deficiency
