How to recover from sleep delay?

Sleep experts say it's possible to "catch up" on sleep , but do n't sleep in on the weekends .

According to researchers, it takes four days of quality sleep to make up for one hour of sleep loss .

Taking a nap or getting extra sleep during the week may be more effective than waiting until the weekend to sleep in .

Sleep Debt

A third of Americans accumulate a debt every night that they may never be able to repay: sleep debt.

This is where the concept of "catch-up sleep" comes in: It involves trying to accumulate extra hours of sleep in the days following a sleep deprivation. For example, by sleeping in on the weekends.

The research results are mixed on this, but after checking out the research and talking to a few experts, we can say that it seems possible to catch up on sleep, but it's difficult to achieve .

Why is it hard to catch up on sleep?

Dr. Alex Dimitriu, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine expert , believes that it is possible to catch up on sleep, but only if you haven't let your sleep deprivation get worse .

By definition, one hour of lost sleep equals one hour of sleep debt.

"If the sleep deprivation is more severe, the recovery time becomes significantly longer, and full recovery may not be possible . So it's important not to let the sleep deprivation get too far," Dimitriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told Insider.

It's important to get your sleep deprivation under control because " over the long term, not getting enough sleep can lead to medical problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, increased risk of cancer and immune dysfunction ," said Dr. James A. Rowley, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation.

Four nights of sleep

Perhaps the most intriguing findings regarding sleep deprivation and recovery time come from a small study that found that for every hour of sleep deprivation , a person would need four regular nights of seven to nine hours of quality sleep to fully recover .

So, if you need seven hours of sleep a night but only get six during the work week, you'll accumulate a five-hour sleep deficit on Friday .

According to the study's predictions, this means that you would need about 20 days of consistent quality sleep to fully recover.

So it's not by sleeping in for a few hours on the weekend that we're going to fix things .

That said, in 1963, a 17-year-old boy stayed awake for 11 days for a science project. He suffered temporary nausea and memory loss, but reported that after sleeping for 14 hours, he felt normal again.

Also read: What is the link between sleep and anxiety? – (naturveda.fr)

Anticipating sleep recovery

Paying off sleep debt is like paying off credit card debt : Try to pay off the entire balance, or as much as possible, so the debt doesn't grow too large.

This means that you should n't wait until the weekend to try to catch up on a full week of lost sleep. Instead, if you miss an hour or two of sleep, try to catch up on it immediately the next day , either by taking a nap— 20 to 30 minutes at best —or by getting a good night's sleep the following night .

The most important thing, though, is to set a sleep schedule and stick to it. “Sleep likes regularity and rhythm,” says Dimitriu, because it maintains a consistent circadian rhythm.

What is circadian rhythm?

The circadian rhythm, often referred to as the internal clock , affects a range of important bodily functions, including temperature regulation , hormone control , memory , concentration , and, of course, sleep .

Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule— that is, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day —is one of the key ways to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and, in turn, better health .

This is why sleeping in may not be the best option and short naps might be preferable.

Of course, this is easier said than done , and not everyone can adjust their schedule to get more sleep.

Sleep Debt and Daily Life

For example, if you work nights , have multiple jobs, or have to get the kids out the door early in the morning , you're more likely to be sleep deprived, but you have less flexibility to address it. Do your best to get as much sleep as you can.

“ In these circumstances , just finding an extra 15 minutes a night can make a big difference,” Ms Rowley said.

It can also help to think outside the box. For example, a recent study found that when people moved from a five-day workweek to a four-day week, the percentage of those sleeping less than seven hours a night dropped from 42.6% to 14.5%.

However you decide to sleep, remember that sleep is not a luxury, but a necessity .

"Sleep should be considered alongside diet and exercise as one of the pillars of good general health, and should be considered as much of a priority as they are," Rowley said.

Discover our products to promote sleep here