Association of Weekend Catch-Up Sleep With the Triglyceride/High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio

Insulin resistance affects more than just diabetes, influencing overall health. Weekend catch-up sleep (WCUS) might alleviate the adverse health outcomes of ongoing sleep deprivation. The triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL) ratio serves as an effective marker for insulin resistance. This study aimed to investigate the association between WCUS and the TG/HDL ratio according to gender and weekday sleep duration.

We analyzed nationwide data from the 2019-2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), which included 10,562 participants: 4,611 male participants (43.7%) and 5,951 female participants (56.3%). Participants' sleep data were collected through self-reported questionnaires. WCUS was divided into the following categories: ≤0 hours, >0-1 hours, >1-2 hours, and >2 hours. Weekday sleep was categorized into three groups: ≤6 hours, >6-8 hours, and >8 hours.

The number of participants and their percentages for WCUS were as follows: 7,152 (62.7%) for ≤0 hours, 1,163 (11.6%) for >0-1 hours, 1,275 (14.3%) for >1-2 hours, and 972 (11.5%) for >2 hours. In multivariable analysis, WCUS (>2 hours) was inversely associated with the TG/HDL ratio (ß coefficient = -0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.38, -0.06, p = 0.006; odds ratio (OR) = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.96, p = 0.031 for TG/HDL > 3.9), and with weekday sleep < 6 hours (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.99, p = 0.025). Considering gender differences, the association between WCUS (>2 hours) and the TG/HDL ratio showed a borderline inverse correlation, particularly among male participants (β = -0.41, 95% CI: -0.70, -0.12, p = 0.006; OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.94, p = 0.052 for TG/HDL > 3.9; OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41, 1.03, p = 0.087 for weekday sleep < 6). No significant association between WCUS (>2 hours) and the TG/HDL ratio was observed in female participants.

The WCUS (>2 hours) had an inverse association with the TG/HDL ratio in male participants, which may have a beneficial effect on insulin resistance.