Lie-ins are 'good for your health'

Sleeping later at the weekend could be vital to our health and wellbeing, research has suggested.

Tests showed lie-ins provided an antidote to the effects of days of sleep deprivation during the week. But one or two hours might not be enough, the research in the journal Sleep found. For serious sleep loss, even 10 hours in bed may be insufficient to cancel out the negative effects.

Experts say most people need between 7.5 and nine hours' sleep a night. Previous research found that even moderate sleep deprivation can seriously impair brain functions.