Going to bed at the same time each night is a common healthy practice, but when your wake-up time fluctuates considerably from day to day, there will be disruptions despite this good habit. Good sleep depends not only on sleep duration but also on regularity, timing, quality, and quantity. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Divya Gopal, additional director, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, shared how sleep time impacts your health.
The result is disrupted coordination between your internal body clock and daily activities. “One of the consequences is daytime fatigue and low alertness. Despite the fact that your total sleep period is sufficient, the fluctuations in the timing of sleep may lead to the feeling of tiredness, drowsiness, and sluggishness,” highlighted Dr Divya. Inconsistent wake up times could potentially impact mood and appetite control as well. Sleep and the circadian clock are connected to certain hormones which are responsible for hunger, satiety and stress. Inconsistent wake times could potentially lead to more cravings, changes in eating habits, and mood swings. Irregular sleep was shown to be linked to cardiometabolic risks, such as obesity, poor glucose regulation, and cardiovascular disease. The ideal situation would be for adults to stick to a consistent wake-up time even on the weekends.
Also read | Yoga expert shares relaxing 10-minute bedtime yoga routine for better sleep and stress relief According to Dr Divya, the body operates according to an internal 24-hour circadian rhythm, which is responsible for regulating such processes as sleep, hormone release, body temperature, metabolism, and alertness. If the wake-up times fluctuate greatly, for instance, waking up at 6 am during weekdays and 9-10 am on weekends, the brain gets conflicting signals concerning the beginning of the day. The goal should be to minimize differences between weekday and weekend wake-up times and have them be around 30–60 minutes apart from each other. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep regularly.
There is evidence pointing at the connection between poor sleep regularity and metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, according to Dr Divya.
