Like financial debt, sleep debt refers to something you owe; in this case, you owe your body some sleep. Of course, the difference is that there are no debt collectors hounding you for repayment. Instead, sleep debt is left to negatively impact your life in a few different ways.
If you have a sleep deficit, you might experience moodiness, fatigue, irritability, depression, difficulty focusing or concentrating, or forgetfulness. The impact of these symptoms can vary in severity and can have a strong negative impact on your day-to-day life and relationships.
If you’re suffering from sleep debt, you’re not alone. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 adults doesn’t get enough sleep on a regular basis.
Letting your sleep debt build up over time can lead to far more serious effects than moodiness. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to lowered immunity, respiratory diseases, and weight gain, as well as an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation. It can also negatively impact your sex life due to a change in hormone production. There is even evidence that a lack of sleep may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
How Are Sleep Debts Created?
There are many reasons people accumulate sleep debts. Maybe you’ve stayed up late to enjoy the company of friends or family or you were working overtime to meet a deadline. No matter the reason, we’re all guilty of putting off sleep at one point or another.
People most commonly experience sleep debts when going through a major life change, such as starting a new job, having a baby, or moving. Ironically, the lack of sleep only makes these changes more stressful to deal with – though there’s usually not much choice in the amount of sleep you’re getting during these times. Below, we’ll discuss how to settle your sleep debt once you get back into a normal routine.
Sleep debt can also be accrued by diet and lifestyle habits. Our bodies are hardwired to sleep at night. In fact, light emitted by the sun actually tells our brains that it’s time to be awake and moving around. Blue light from televisions, computers, tablets, and smartphones imitates this natural signal. In fact, a 2015 study found that using devices before bedtime had a significant negative impact on the quality and duration of sleep. That’s why it is best to avoid screen time for up to two hours before going to sleep.
The Science Behind Restful Sleep
You may feel like reduced amounts of sleep have little to no impact on your body, or that the benefits of getting more out of your day outweigh the cost. However, even if you don’t see any immediate effects, there are long-term health risks associated with sleep deficits.
It may feel wasteful to make time for “doing nothing,” but setting aside enough time for sleep is as important as eating well and staying hydrated. And you’re not really doing nothing: During sleep, your body is carrying out important functions that maintain your health.
For starters, your body experiences cycles of REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. While each phase can differ in length from person to person, the full REM cycle takes about 90 minutes and you will ideally experience four to five of these cycles per night.
This means that a healthy adult should be getting between six to nine hours of sleep every night to be fully rested. Of course, the difference between six and nine hours is quite large. So, how do you know how much sleep you personally require?
Our sleep and wake cycles play out over roughly a 24-hour period and are controlled by our biological clocks, also known as our circadian rhythms. To determine your natural circadian rhythm, you need to address sleep debts.
Can You Make Up for Lost Sleep?
In an ideal world, we would all maintain consistent sleep cycles: Going to bed at approximately the same time every night and waking up rested at approximately the same time every day. But we don’t live in an ideal world, so it’s important to know how to repay sleep debts as they build up to avoid negative impacts on our health and daily lives.
The bad news is that if you haven’t been getting enough sleep, you can’t cram it all in during a long weekend. In fact, oversleeping is linked to similar negative symptoms as undersleeping.
The key to settling sleep debt is moderation. Try adding an additional hour of sleep every night to your usual routine. If you’re usually in bed by 11 p.m., try going to bed at 10 p.m. Also, be aware of how long it actually takes you to go to sleep. If you’re laying in bed at 10 p.m. but still aren’t falling asleep until 11 p.m., this won’t help resolve your sleep debt. You may have to scrutinize your daily routines to determine if changes are needed to address issues with falling asleep.
While it might seem like naps are a viable way to help bridge the gap in your sleep debt, they are only good for short bursts of energy. This is because naps don’t allow for a full sleep cycle to occur. Excessive napping might also be a sign of other health issues.
If you struggle with insomnia or another medical condition, you should speak with your doctor about treatments. They may even suggest undergoing a sleep study to determine the best course of action.
Not getting enough sleep every night can impact your daily performance, an effect that can’t be negated by getting extra sleep over a few days. However, if you can make up for lost sleep over the course of a few weeks or months, you can work on paying off your sleep debts altogether.
How to Avoid Creating a Sleep Deficit
First, you need to make sure that you’re setting aside ample time every night to get the right amount of sleep for your body. You can perform your own sleep study to determine how much sleep you actually need.
It’s best to do this when you have at least a week to record your natural sleep cycles and gather enough data to find your average. Try combining a holiday weekend with some extra time off of school or work. It may seem silly to devote days off to your sleep study, but your body will appreciate it in the long run.
Begin by cutting out any caffeine or stimulants, including coffee, soda, and green tea. This will ensure that your body is following its own natural circadian rhythm.
For a full week, go to bed when you feel tired at night then wake in the morning naturally, without the use of an alarm. If you share a bed with another person, try sleeping separately during your study to avoid any disruptions from your partner.
As the week progresses, you should start to notice that your body is getting tired and waking up at approximately the same time. There may be some variance in the first few days as your body adjusts to a full sleep cycle. Once the week is over, you will be able to determine how much sleep your body needs by calculating the amount of time you slept every night.
During your study – as well as every other night – you can do things to promote better sleep. Creating a tidy space in your bedroom and using clean sheets and comforters can promote an overall calm demeanor. Using earplugs or white noise machines can also reduce the likelihood of being woken up by disruptive sounds. Natural sleep aids like melatonin supplements or lavender can be used occasionally to help keep your body on a regular sleep cycle during times of increased stress or anxiety.
No matter what, it’s important to listen to your body and pick up on the cues that indicate you’re not getting enough sleep. Once you’ve identified them, you can begin working toward a more regular cycle that will keep you happy and healthy.