Hit the snooze button! Weekend lie-ins really could save your life as scientists say extra sleep can reduce the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke

We all know that a weekend lie-in is the perfect treat after five days of work.

But research shows it does much more than just charge your batteries: it can even save your life.

Scientists from China's Nanjing Medical University followed 3,400 people to monitor how sleep cycles affect health.

They found that those who were sleep deprived during the week but got an extra two hours of sleep on Saturday or Sunday were 63 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

In contrast, workers who got less than six hours a night during the week and didn't make up for it on the weekend had much higher rates of cardiovascular disease.

It is known that getting enough sleep – between seven and eight hours a night for most people – protects against heart problems.

It reduces the effect of stress hormones on the body, keeping the blood vessels free of inflammation.

But the latest research shows that it's no problem to get by on less, as long as you make up for your days off.

However, a recent global study shows that people in Britain can only get an average of 15 minutes extra sleep at weekends, while in Finland – which has the longest lie-in period – this is still just 26 minutes.

Previous research has shown that an extra hour or two of napping on the weekend can prevent obesity and depression.

But, say the Nanjing researchers: 'Catch-up sleep on the weekend is (also) associated with a low risk of angina, stroke and heart disease – especially in people who sleep briefly during the week.

'Research has shown that sleep is not only for physiological rest, but also has profound effects on cardiovascular health.'