It turns out sleeping in at the weekend could counteract the harm caused by lack of sleep during the week

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People with a night owl chronotype can struggle with a fixed 9-5 routine.

Failing to get to sleep can mean you don't get a consistent eight hours a night.

This is bad news because a lack of sleep has been associated with an increased risk of early death.

But according to new research, you might be able to reduce your risk by catching up with sleep at the weekend.

However, the consensus in the sleep science community remains that consistency is key, and there is no substitute for a regular bedtime when it comes to your health.

As a night owl, I know what it's like to struggle with the strict schedules society has set for us. Getting to bed to ensure eight hours of sleep is a daily battle, but it's nothing compared to getting up in the morning to make it to work on time.

Throughout the week it can feel like my body hasn't rested enough because I often fail to fall asleep until very late. This means I take the opportunity at weekends to "catch up" on my shut-eye, so I rarely set an alarm, and tend to wake up when my body wants to.See the rest of the story at Business InsiderNOW WATCH: Why you should never release your pet goldfish into the wildSee Also:How to stop snoring and when to see a doctor about dangerous nighttime breathingThe US birth rate has hit an all-time low, fueling fears of a 'demographic time bomb' but women over 40 are a big exceptionExperts say the new season of '13 Reasons Why' has a dangerous problem that the show fails to addressSEE ALSO: You might be better at sports at certain times of day thanks to your biological clock

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