{"id":5264,"date":"2020-03-11T12:20:27","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T11:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/?p=5264"},"modified":"2020-06-05T00:11:18","modified_gmt":"2020-06-04T22:11:18","slug":"sleep-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/sleep-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Debt: What Are Its Effects and Can You Repay It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sleep debt<\/span> can have a major negative impact on a person\u2019s health, concentration, and ability to complete certain daily activities. About one-third of the planet\u2019s inhabitants have had sleep problems at least once, and <\/span>10%\u201315% of them<\/span><\/a> suffer from chronic insomnia, which leads to this physical debt. If you don\u2019t want to become another of these negative statistics, it\u2019s a good idea to know what signs mean you aren\u2019t getting sufficient sleep and how to prevent this from causing harm to your body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is Sleep Debt a Real Thing?<\/b><\/h2>\n

This type of debt is mutually connected with and caused by regularly not getting enough sleep. When this becomes prolonged and chronic, it leads to a problematic cumulative loss of sleep. However, the more you get less sleep than you need, it\u2019s expected that the debt will grow more significant over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ongoing sleep restriction is related to the accumulation of <\/span>sleep loss<\/span>. However, sleep quantity fluctuates with seasonal and social changes. Many people living in northern regions get more sleep during the darker months. But this logically shifts to sleeping less in the summer months. It was also demonstrated in several studies that boredom, isolation, and other negative social factors could increase the drive for sleep. This shows us that the known <\/span>sleep debt definition<\/span> doesn\u2019t rely on the individual need for sleep but is instead determined by multiple factors.<\/span><\/p>\n

We also have to take into account how the human body\u2019s requirements for sleep are more flexible than some assume. One of the reasons for this is that shifts occur naturally in sleep cycles as part of the <\/span>c<\/span>ircadian cloc<\/span>k<\/span>. In line with this, it\u2019s suggested that people evaluate and \u201crepay\u201d their accumulated lost sleep as often as possible. When this balance is impaired for an extended period, the lost sleep becomes a bigger concern.<\/span><\/p>\n

So exactly <\/span>what is sleep debt<\/span>? While experts disagree on the precise details, it\u2019s well known that insufficient sleep can make you tired, grumpy, and prone to illness and accidents. Furthermore, based on the knowledge that an accumulated loss of sleep adversely influences our mood and cognitive performance, many experts believe that this condition becoming chronic and long-term is a public health problem with physical, social, and economic consequences. Interestingly, <\/span>some countries are more deprived of sleep<\/span><\/a> than others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can You Die from Lack of Sleep?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sleep issues have been linked to mental health and performance concerns, as well as an increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic illness, driving accidents, and permanent fatigue. In fact, it has been shown to cause death according to lab studies on animals. However, even taking certain experiments with prisoners into account, there are no people who have been known to die from a <\/span>sleep deficit<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of chronic lack of sleep are manifested in cases of a prolonged insufficiency of quantity and\/or quality of sleep. Even an hour less than the recommended night\u2019s sleep (which is approximately 7\u20138 hours), when it happens regularly, can have severe consequences on a person\u2019s health and optimal brain activity. The <\/span>effects of sleep deprivation<\/span> range from common complaints, such as drowsiness, to more severe symptoms, such as hallucinations, memory problems, and <\/span>chronic pain<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The severity of lost sleep depends on two factors. First, you will suffer more from the <\/span>symptoms of insomnia<\/span> as you spend more time awake. For example, staying one hour more to watch your favorite TV show will have less problematic <\/span>sleep deprivation symptoms<\/span> than sleeping for only four hours. This can be especially true when it happens every night or when you aren\u2019t sleeping all night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, the intensity of your symptoms will vary depending on your biological clock. Therefore, the signs of lack of sleep will seem much more pronounced at times when you naturally need to sleep (i.e., the night time).<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are the Most Common <\/b>Sleep Debt Symptoms<\/b> and Causes?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Lack of sleep can lead to decreased concentration, daytime sleepiness, and serious long-term health effects, like <\/span>obesity<\/span><\/a>. However, the effects brought on by lack of sleep will occur depending on individual sleep needs, but if you get less sleep than you need, it will inevitably lead to significant debt of sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

The causes of chronic sleep problems and deprivation can vary. On the one hand, they can be attributed to specific lifestyle patterns: the <\/span>sleep <\/span>deprivatio<\/span>n<\/span> may be volitional, which might involve working two or more jobs or being a shift work employee, choosing to stay up, making frequent trips that involve two or more time-zone changes, living an active life, etc. On the other hand, chronic lack of sleep may be part of the clinical picture of a particular sleep disorder, including insomnia, <\/span>obstructive <\/span>sleep apne<\/span>a<\/span>, <\/span>narcolepsy<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>restless legs syndrome<\/span>, <\/span>parasomnia<\/span><\/a>, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chronic sleep deprivation<\/span> can be caused by other diseases, such as those that are psychiatric, neurological (including neuropathic pain), gastrointestinal, cancer-based, etc. Whatever the reason, not getting enough sleep for a prolonged period is associated with potential health risks and lost physical functionality.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common symptoms of insufficient sleep also include the following: fatigue and irritability, difficulty concentrating, difficulty making decisions and planning tasks, short-term memory impairment, blurred vision, trouble with speech, episodes of confusion, hallucinations, feeling sick, and impotence or a reduction in sexual arousal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chronic sleep debt<\/span> is a potentially dangerous phenomenon, especially when episodes of falling asleep occur while traveling or working because they\u2019re associated with a high accident risk. Psychosis may arise in extreme cases. Impairment in cognitive processes\u2014planning, task completion, decision making, maintaining concentration, and more\u2014are the most noticeable, prominent signs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the consequences of consistently getting poor sleep may include obesity, impaired glucose tolerance and <\/span>diabetes mellitus<\/span><\/a>, cardiovascular complications, <\/span>depression<\/span>, <\/span>anxiety disorders<\/span>, <\/span>alcohol abuse<\/span>, immunity impairment, and a higher risk of developing infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Prevent Sleep Deprivation<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Sleep<\/p>\n

The importance of sleep and the way that it impacts the onset of physical and <\/span>mental illness<\/span><\/a> has been studied continuously. To improve a person\u2019s quality and quantity of sleep, it is necessary, first and foremost, to improve their <\/span>sleep habits<\/span>. It\u2019s also necessary to identify any underlying illnesses that can cause any of the known <\/span>symptoms of lack of sleep<\/span>. In most cases, the treatment and management of any illnesses will help normalize sleep concerns and reduce the risk of any sleep-based complications.<\/span><\/p>\n

To enjoy a good mood, the body must be rested, meaning you need to have enough sleep. According to <\/span>multiple studies<\/span><\/a>, a person has to sleep more than 4\u20135 hours per night. If they don\u2019t, he or she will be <\/span>sleep deprived<\/span> and will experience signs of mental exhaustion within a week.<\/span><\/p>\n

When a person doesn\u2019t get enough sleep, he or she inadvertently begins to eat food in larger quantities. The result is rapid weight gain. The explanation is simple\u2014when one is unable to fall asleep, he or she most often goes to the refrigerator because eating is an easy escape from boredom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, when you\u2019re tired like this, your body\u2019s production of cortisol increases. This hormone provokes feelings of hunger. <\/span>According to a 2011 study<\/span><\/a>, people who have less than six hours of sleep during the night have a 30% higher risk of being overweight and obese. Thus, for those experiencing problems with <\/span>sleep deprivation, treatments<\/span> should be implemented. If these complications can be reduced, it\u2019s likely that one\u2019s previous state of good health will be restored.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes a <\/span>melatonin<\/span> deficiency\u2014as a consequence of <\/span>aging<\/span> or staying up late\u2014additionally contributes to these symptoms. This hormone, which is responsible for sleep, can actually be taken as a sleep aid before <\/span>bedtime<\/span>. Furthermore, some products are rich in melatonin, such as honey, milk, and turkey. On the contrary, <\/span>using coffee<\/span> to counteract fatigue and drowsiness can have the opposite effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Is Sleep Debt Calculated?<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Everyone can calculate this. First, you have to estimate how many hours spent asleep are sufficient for you to feel rested and alert. Second, you have to count how many hours you actually spend asleep during the night. To be healthy and able to work, specialists recommend a minimum of 7\u20139 hours of sleep a day.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, if you need eight hours of sleep each night but only get five hours on average, you\u2019ve accumulated a <\/span>sleep debt<\/span> of 10 hours each week! This is even more frightening when you calculate your lost hours for an entire year. If we use the example mentioned above, then for a year, you lose 520 hours of sleep, or almost 22 days! The higher the debt is, the more the risk of sudden cardiac death increases.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can You Catch up on Lost Sleep?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The short answer is no. Once sleep is lost, it can\u2019t be repaid. However, although we can\u2019t catch up on hundreds of hours of missed sleep, sleeping enough for a short period can help restore some of the cognitive decline caused by its deprivation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, the body does try to restore itself during certain <\/span>sleep stages<\/span>. When a sleep-deprived person rests, the brain spends more time in the deeper phases, which are considered the more restorative stages of sleep, instead of the superficial sleep stages. In this way, <\/span>catching up on sleep<\/span> becomes a possibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

Studies<\/span><\/a> demonstrated that the sleep stages in people who don\u2019t get enough sleep are changed. Generally, alterations in the sleep cycle are resolved immediately if the person starts sleeping more again. Since each sleep stage is crucial for your wellbeing\u2014it\u2019s essential to allow enough time for the brain to move through all the stages of sleep. A skewed sleep cycle in people chronically deprived of sleep doesn\u2019t allow for the needed amount of rest. In line with this, to compensate for the lost sleep, we need to think about reducing and <\/span>recovering from sleep deprivation<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it possible to make up for lost sleep or even erase it? No, but we can make the effort to stop adding hours to our debt and get adequate sleep each night. So when you determine how much sleep per night makes you feel great, adhere to this by creating a schedule that allows enough time for rest. A journal where you track your <\/span>sleep habits<\/span> and hours may help you understand your sleep patterns\u2014and possibly add more sleep time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do Naps Count as Sleep?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Sleep<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we can\u2019t sleep more in advance to make up for potential lost sleep in the future. However, some tips can help us avoid the accumulation of lost sleep:<\/span><\/p>\n