Sleep debt is quite like financial debts, but in terms of your rest. To put it simply, if you don’t get enough sleep, it creates sleep debt. You could be losing sleep due to several possible reasons, ranging from stressful workdays to a personal crisis. As a result, you’re trapped in a cycle of disrupted and unsatisfactory sleep. And, it keeps building up, till you’re unable to function.
It refers to the cumulative amount of sleep that a person has lost or failed to obtain over a period of time, explains Isabel Page, pediatric sleep coach and the founder of Dubai-based organisation Savvy Sleep that helps people fix their sleeping patterns. “It occurs when a person consistently doesn't get enough sleep to meet their body's sleep needs,” she adds. Sleep debt can happen due to chronic sleep deprivation, irregular sleep schedules, or even occasional nights of inadequate sleep.
Just think of sleep debt as a financial debt but for your sleep, adds Page. “Just like spending more money than you earn results in financial debt, not getting enough sleep adds up and creates sleep debt. Each time you sacrifice sleep, whether it's due to work, social obligations, or other factors, your body keeps a record of that deficit,” she says.
Just think of sleep debt as a financial debt but for your sleep. Just like spending more money than you earn results in financial debt, not getting enough sleep adds up and creates sleep debt.
The build-up of sleep pressure
Elizabeth Aizlewood, a clinical psychologist at Aspris Wellbeing Centre, Dubai, explains the build-up of sleep debt. Over the course of the day, something we call “sleep pressure” builds up. “This is essentially the drive to go to sleep,” she says.
When the sleep reaches a peak, which is typically in the evening, we sleep. During this time, the pressure reduces. It reaches a low after a full-night of sleep, which contributes to wakefulness in the morning. You know you’re well-rested, when you feel refreshed upon waking up. However, if you feel drowsy, or rely on stimulants such as caffeine to stay awake, your sleep hasn’t been adequate.
You know you’re well-rested, when you feel refreshed upon waking up. However, if you feel drowsy, or rely on stimulants such as caffeine to stay awake, your sleep hasn’t been adequate.
What happens if you get trapped in sleep debt?
You would have noticed how lack of sleep affects your mood. You feel bleary-eyed, irritable and are unable to concentrate fully at work. As a result, your productivity suffers too.
Living in a prolonged state of sleep debt can have rather disastrous consequences on our mental and physical well-being. “It can lead to daytime sleepiness, decreased alertness, impaired cognitive function, and mood disturbances,” explains Sara Nanetti, a Dubai-based pediatric sleep coach. “Even worse, prolonged sleep debt has been associated with a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and mental health issues,” she adds. The lack of sleep can result in a rather serious imbalance of hormones in the body, including cortisol, which is the stress hormone. High levels of cortisol disrupt sleep further and the person is unable to switch off. This fuels a wide range of negative emotions, including anger, depression and disturbing thoughts.
Prolonged sleep debt has been associated with a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and mental health issues.
Nanetti also elaborates on the links between weight gain and lack of sleep. “Everybody is so obsessed with a healthy lifestyle, with eating clean and exercising, but almost nobody talks about the fact that lack of sleep can make it harder to lose weight,” she says. The hormones that are affected are insulin and the growth hormone that can cause fat storage, and in the worst case scenario, obesity.
Sleep debt can not only lead to an increased risk in obesity, but also impaired cognitive functioning and poor decision-making, elevating the risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia, says Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist at UAE-based Lighthouse Arabia.Apart from stress and burnout. It can also result in anxiety and depression. Moreover, owing to the fractured concentration and focus, the chances of accidents, especially on the road, are higher. It’s particularly dangerous for sleep-deprived people to be behind the wheel.
How much sleep does an adult need?
Adults need 7 to 9 hours of good quality sleep every night. However, it is not just the duration, but also the consistency and quality of sleep which are equally important, says Nanetti. You need to have a regular sleep pattern, which means going to bed and waking up at fixed times. Your body needs consistency, and this improves the quality of your deep sleep. You also need to examine your bedroom environment. Make sure it is conducive for rest and relaxation.
Many people tend to think that sleep is for the weak, she adds. “It’s a fundamental biological need that is essential for our overall well-being and optimal functioning. So the more we sleep, the better we perform,” she says.
How to repay your sleep debt
People try unhealthy hacks to make up for lost sleep.
Sadly, sleeping four hours in the afternoon to make up for lost sleep during the previous night isn’t the solution. “The idea of sleep debt is deceiving,” says Afridi. “People think that if they miss three hours of sleep one night by going to bed late, they sleep an additional three hours over the next two days and make it up, but it doesn’t work that way,” she adds.
It’s all about how you budget your time. Just as you would budget your finances to pay off debt, you should budget your time and establish healthy sleep habits, explains Page. You would need to set a regular sleep schedule, create a relaxing sleep environment, and avoid stimulating activities before bedtime, like drinking coffee or watching crime dramas and horror shows.
If someone has built up a sleep debt, more sleep is needed to “pay off” this debt, says Aizlewood. “This can be achieved through allowing extra time for sleep on a regular basis. Learning how much sleep your body needs and prioritising, is the best way to avoid regular sleep debt,” she explains.
Here are some tips on how to get your sleeping patterns in order, as explained by Aizlewood.
• Set a sleep schedule and stick to it every day.
• Using apps to monitor the length and quality of your sleep can give you a good indicator as to your baseline sleeping patterns.
• Stop watching the clock. This can contribute to you staying awake when trying to get to sleep, especially if you turn on the light, or look at a phone to see the time.
• Avoid screen time at least two hours before bed. Research shows that the light from the screen can interfere with the natural release of sleep hormone melatonin in the evening. Try some different relaxing activities instead, like reading a book. Having a hot shower before sleeping helps.
• Avoid caffeine at least 4 to 6 hours before you go to bed. These substances are stimulants and directly interfere with the ability to fall asleep.
(Note: This article was published on July 3, 2023)
