‘Don't wake me up’… Is it okay to catch up on lost sleep over the holidays?
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For many Koreans, the 10-day Chuseok holiday has been a rare chance to truly rest and recharge. It is a time when people can sleep in without the guilt of wasting time, enjoy long naps after a big meal, and silence the alarm clocks that usually rush them out the door. With this “unlimited sleep pass,” it’s no surprise that many are using the break to catch up on lost rest.
Yet in Korean society, sleep often carries a stigma. People who sleep a lot are considered lazy, and phrases such as “sleep when you’re dead” or “walk or die” reflect a cultural mindset that equates less sleep with success. The statistics underscore this attitude: South Koreans consumed an average of 416 cups of coffee per person last year, more than double the global average of 150, according to market research firm Euromonitor — a testament to how hard people fight to stay awake.
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Koreans among the most sleep-deprived
The reality is that Koreans are chronically sleep-deprived. According to the “2024 Korean Sleep Status” report by the Korean Sleep Research Society, the average Korean sleeps 6 hours and 58 minutes per night — 18 percent less than the average in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Only 75 percent as many Koreans report being satisfied with their sleep quality and quantity compared to the global average, and just 7 percent say they sleep well every night, half the global rate of 13 percent. About 60 percent said they experience sleep problems.
The biggest sleep disruptor is psychological stress, cited by 62.5 percent of respondents, far outweighing physical causes such as fatigue (49.8 percent), poor metabolism (29.7 percent), noise (19.4 percent), or pain (19.2 percent). Other major factors include anxiety (35 percent), insomnia (32 percent), and breathing difficulties (15 percent). The society said these findings “suggest that sleep health is closely linked to mental well-being, not just physical conditions.”
Sleeping less than seven hours a night triples the risk of catching a cold, while sleeping six hours or less raises the risk of coronary artery disease by 48 percent and stroke by 15 percent. Sleep deprivation can also reduce strength, stamina, and reaction time, impair memory and attention, and increase the risk of mood disorders, obesity, and diabetes. On a national scale, it leads to reduced labor productivity and higher medical costs. It’s no wonder people say, “Sleep is the best medicine.”
Participants rest during the “Forest Nap Contest” hosted by Yuhan-Kimberly at Gwangneung Forest in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 28. Courtesy of Yuhan-Kimberly
Sleep debt is real — and repayable
Cutting back on sleep is like borrowing time with interest. If you consistently get less sleep than your body needs, you accumulate what scientists call “sleep debt.” For example, if you need eight hours of sleep but only get four, you build up a four-hour deficit. And just like financial debt, it eventually needs to be repaid. That’s why, when given the chance, your body tends to sleep longer and more deeply.
Sleeping in on weekends or holidays can indeed help repay this debt. It can mitigate some of the negative health effects of chronic sleep deprivation, though it’s not a permanent fix. “If someone who needs seven hours of sleep a day only gets five, the body will find a way to compensate — whether that means napping during the day or sleeping late on weekends,” said Lee Yu-jin, a professor of psychiatry at Seoul National University Hospital.
Even the so-called “law of total sleep” — the idea that the body will eventually make up for missed sleep — may have a scientific basis. In June, researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine published a paper in the journal Science describing how extended wakefulness activates a neurological mechanism that promotes restorative sleep.
But oversleeping has its drawbacks
Still, if you build up 10 hours of sleep debt during the week, that doesn’t mean you need to sleep 10 extra hours on the weekend. Too much sleep can also be harmful. “The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by two mechanisms,” Lee said. “One is homeostasis — the longer you stay awake, the stronger the pressure to sleep. The other is the circadian clock, which wakes you up at regular times. Sleeping in over the holidays helps from a homeostatic perspective, but it disrupts your circadian rhythm. If you keep irregular hours during Chuseok, it can make returning to work much harder.”
For example, napping for more than two hours during the day can throw off your internal clock. This is why many people feel sluggish on Monday even after resting all weekend — a phenomenon commonly known as the “Monday blues.” The takeaway may sound simple: “It’s better to sleep enough every day than to overcompensate on holidays.”
There is no universal formula for the “right” amount of sleep. Some people feel refreshed after five hours, while others still yawn after 10. True “good sleep” means both quantity and quality are sufficient.
When the holiday ends and daily routines resume, it’s worth assessing your sleep health. If you can’t stay awake during a lecture, fall asleep easily on the subway, or struggle to wake up without an alarm, you might be sleep-deprived. Watch for symptoms like snoring, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or sleep talking. If sleep issues are interfering with your daily life, consulting a specialist for diagnosis and treatment is recommended.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.