A new study has found that teenagers who catch up on sleep moderately – but not excessively – at the weekend show fewer symptoms of anxiety. The results show that teenagers who got up to two hours more sleep on weekends than on weekdays showed fewer anxiety symptoms than those who did not sleep longer on weekends. However, longer catch-up sleep on weekends was associated with slightly more internalizing symptoms.

Insufficient Sleep in Teenagers Linked to Increased Risk of Mental Health Problems

“The results show that both less sleep on weekends and significantly more sleep on weekends were associated with more severe anxiety symptoms,” said lead author Sojeong Kim, a doctoral student at the Department of Clinical Psychology and a psychology student at the University of Oregon in Eugene. “In contrast, moderate catch-up sleep—defined as less than two hours—was associated with lower anxiety symptoms, suggesting that some restorative sleep on weekends may be beneficial.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adolescents aged 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep regularly to promote optimal health. However, data from the CDC show that only 23% of high school students get enough sleep on an average school day. “Many teenagers try to catch up on lost sleep on the weekend,” Kim said. Adequate sleep is associated with better health, including improved attention, behavior, learning ability, memory, emotion regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. In contrast, insufficient sleep in teenagers is associated with an increased risk of problems such as depression and suicidal thoughts.

The study included 1,877 adolescents with an average age of 13.5 years. Sleep duration was estimated using Fitbit devices, while internalizing symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist survey. Weekend catch-up sleep was calculated as the difference between sleep duration on weekends and weekdays.

Kim pointed out that it is important to determine the right amount of catch-up sleep that is beneficial for adolescents who restrict their sleep during the week. “Too little or too much sleep variation between weekdays and weekends can contribute to symptoms that someone is trying to combat, such as physical or mental fatigue and feelings of anxiety,” she said. The study summary was recently published in an online supplement to the journal Sleep and presented at SLEEP 2025 in Seattle.

How to Improve Sleep Quality in Teens

Sleep experts recommend that teens practice good sleep hygiene and that parents support them in doing so. Regular bedtimes are just as important as avoiding electronic devices in the bedroom, as these not only shorten teenagers’ sleep time due to the blue light emitted by these devices, but also suppress the production of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin and make it more difficult to fall asleep. Very busy schedules should also be reduced, especially activities immediately before bedtime. Afternoon naps can also be helpful.

Tired teenagers can benefit from a 30- to 45-minute nap before dinner. According to experts, this is a better solution for sleep deprivation in teenagers than sleeping in, as this disrupts the body’s sleep cycle. Last but not least, sufficient daylight is important. Starting the day in bright sunlight helps regulate the body’s internal clock, making it easier for teenagers to wake up in the morning and fall asleep in the evening.