Sleep Debt: How to Pay It Off
Yes, it's true. Sleep researchers have concluded you do indeed accumulate a sleep debt. (1)
Whether you've pulled an all-nighter or simply had several nights in a row of a little lost shut-eye, your body accumulates a negative balance of needed sleep.
And, like financial debts, sleep debts must be paid off.
Here's an example. Let's say you normally sleep 8 hours a night. One night, you only get 4 hours. You will carry a debt of 4 hours until you pay it off by, say, sleeping 12 hours one night or taking 4 hours worth of naps.
Normally, when people carry large sleep debts a little bit of rest makes you feel a lot better. For example, if you've been up for 24 hours, 4 hours asleep makes you a feel a lot better than before.
But, you're still carrying a sleep negative balance.
And, sometimes after a full night's rest people still feel tired and think, "I must have slept too much." Nope. You're tired because you still have owe the sandman.
Effects of Loss of Sleep
Unfortunately, even small sleep deprivation can impair performance. Researchers agree lost sleep decreases vigilance, alertness, and attention span.
And, sadly, the effects of sleep deprivation can be severe, as loss of sleep can cause indifference and low performance in the face of danger. Many avoidable accidents, such as the Exxon Valdez crash, occurred because of lost sleep.
In fact, being sleep deprived has effects similar to drunkenness. Research has shown hand-eye coordination after being awake for 17 hours (around 1am for most of us) equates to a blood alcohol level of .05%. Being awake for 24 hours (an all-nighter) is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .1%, the legal limit for drunkenness most places.
How Do Know If You Have a Sleep Debt?
Sleep researchers and experts have a variety of tests to measure it, but they all basically conclude that if you feel any daytime drowsiness, then you have a sleep debt.
In general, you can gauge it by how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you fall asleep almost instantly after your head hits the pillow, you probably have a large negative balance. If it takes you 30-40 minutes, you probably have a smaller one.
One common example of this is Sunday night insomnia. After sleeping late on Saturday and Sunday, many people have paid it off and so take longer to fall asleep.
Once you pay it off, most people need 7.5-9 hours a night.
(One thing to watch, however, is that arousal can mask it temporarily. Caffeine, bright lights, food or exercise near bedtime, television and computers can keep you up and cause, even though you have a sleep debt.)
Paying It Off
So, what can you do about this? First, knowing about the existence of sleep debt can help you plan your sleep accordingly.
Second, you can begin a program to pay it down. Here's a three week program Dr. William Dement, a nationally recognized sleep researcher, recommends in The Promise of Sleep:
- Week 1: Analyze - Keep a sleep journal for several days or a week. Monitor your sleep patterns (time up, daytime sleepiness, exercise, night time sleep patterns.) Although you're monitoring, aim for a consistent wake-up and bedtime.
- Week 2: Pay it Off - Go to bed an hour earlier than usual. Take short naps before the afternoon. Be active during the day as well. Also, be sure to follow good rules of sleep hygiene, such as no TV/computer or food after 6 or 7 pm. No caffeine (etc.). (Click here for more on sleep aids and other sleep remedies.) Record all of this in your sleep log that you started in Week 1.
- Week 3: Stabilize Your Routine - Once you have your debt paid off (you can usually tell by a little Sunday night insomnia), stabilize your sleep patterns. Keep a consistent wake-up and bedtime and be sure to follow good sleep hygiene practices. Keep a sleep log for a while to notice any patterns or trends.
In sum, managing your neagtive sleep balance can improve your performance, quality of life, as well as the safety of yourself and others.
Final Note: This article is intended to provide general advice about sleep debts associated with common insomnia. If you think you may have a sleep disorder, I would strongly recommend you seek help from a sleep professional. Many treatments are available to help improve your sleep.
Good luck, and sweet dreams.
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