ANCSLEEP BLOG

If you have a really tough week where you aren't getting enough sleep, you may find yourself adding to your evergrowing sleep debt. A sleep debt is the amount of hours of sleep that you are NOT getting. Sleep is so essential to our wellbeing and overall function, that you take away vital hours when you aren't getting the recommended 7-9 hours a day.

It's really hard to repay sleep debts, in fact, it may be impossible as we are adding to it much more than we are contributing to it. Therefore, avoidance may be your best option. Here are some ways to avoid a sleep debt. 

What is a Sleep Debt?

You’ve probably heard of the term “sleep debt.” It’s the term that refers to how much less sleep you are getting than what you should be getting. The idea is that over time, a “sleep debt” forms that you need to get extra sleep to “pay back” . In other words, your body requires a certain amount of sleep, but as you get less sleep, then you become sleep deprived. This sleep deprivation causes a debt which you have to pay by sleeping more than the required amount. 

What is Oversleeping AKA Binge Sleeping?

Binge sleeping is the thing many of us do when we are suffering from sleep deprivation and want to quickly feel normal again. A common scenario that illustrates this is all week you stay up late on your computer, and then get up at a normal time to go to work – maybe getting only 6 hours of sleep. Then on the weekend you sleep in an extra few hours each day, maybe even taking naps. This is the essence of binge sleeping – but it doesn’t work.

The idea of binge sleeping stems from the notion of having a “sleep debt”, which is an important concept when discussing sleep deprivation and sleep binging.

Take, for example, the fact that Americans sleep on average 6.8 hours per night during the week and 7.4 hours during the weekend (about 40 minutes more). These statistics indicate that there is a large percentage of the population who is getting a whole lot more sleep on the weekend – aka binge sleeping.

Unfortunately, binge sleep does not eradicate your sleep debt. It helps a little in the short term, but the signs of sleep deprivation soon reappear. 

Why are Sleep Debts Common in Alaska?

Sleep debt refers to how much sleep deprivation you are suffering from.  Ideally, you are supposed to get a certain amount of sleep per night, and each night you get less than that amount adds to your “debt” of sleep that you need to catch up on. In reality, it’s not this simple at all.

What is Sleep Debt?

You’ve probably heard of the term “sleep debt.” It’s the term that refers how much less sleep you are getting than what you should be getting. The idea is that over time, a “sleep debt” forms in which you need to get extra sleep in order to “pay back”. The process of sleep debt includes:  

• Your body requires a certain about of sleep, which is different depending on your age
• As you get less sleep than required, you become sleep deprived
• This sleep deprivation causes a “debt” which you have to “pay” by sleeping more than the required amount

For example, if you should be sleeping 7 hours per night, and the last three nights you have slept 6 hours each night, then your “sleep debt” would be 3 hours. It’s important to understand sleep debts because they are more complex and nuanced than the above bullet points.

Even the term “sleep debt” is a bit misleading because you can’t “repay” a sleep debt like you repay a loan. You can’t just get a bunch of sleep one night and repay your sleep debt. It doesn’t work this way.

What is Sleep Debt?

A “sleep debt” is a common term that you have probably heard that refers the amount of sleep you get that is less than the amount of optimal sleep you need. The way we generally understand it is that over time, a “debt” forms where you need to “catch up” on sleep to be healthy again.

What is a Sleep Debt?

You’ve probably heard of the term “sleep debt.” It’s the term that refers how much less sleep you are getting than what you should be getting. The idea is that over time, a “sleep debt” forms that you need to get extra sleep to “pay back” your debt. To list it more succinctly:

• Your body requires a certain about of sleep, which is different depending on your age
• As you get less sleep than required, you become sleep deprived
• This sleep deprivation causes a “debt” which you have to “pay” by sleeping more than the required amount

For example, if you should be sleeping 7 hours per night, and the last three nights you have slept 6 hours each night, then your “sleep debt” would be 3 hours. It’s important to understand sleep debts because they are more complex and nuanced than the above bullet points.

Even the term “sleep debt” is a bit misleading because you can’t “repay” a sleep debt like you repay a loan. Namely, you can’t just get a bunch of sleep one night and repay your sleep debt. It doesn’t work this way.

What is Oversleeping, or Binge Sleeping?

Binge sleeping, a common escape route for those suffering from sleep deprivation, offers the illusion of a quick fix to feeling normal again. Picture this: you spend the entire week burning the midnight oil on your computer, only to wake up at your usual time for work, barely getting 6 hours of sleep. Then, the weekend arrives and you indulge in a few extra hours of shut-eye each day, maybe even sneaking in a nap or two. This is the essence of binge sleeping, but here's the truth - it doesn't actually work.

The concept of binge sleeping originates from the idea of having a "sleep debt," which plays a crucial role in discussions about sleep deprivation and sleep binging.

Consider this: on an average, Americans sleep for around 6.8 hours per night during the week, but that number jumps to 7.4 hours during the weekend (about 40 minutes more). These figures indicate that a significant portion of the population engages in binge sleeping, seeking to catch up on lost sleep.

Unfortunately, binge sleep doesn't eliminate your sleep debt. It may provide temporary relief, but the signs of sleep deprivation quickly resurface.

Why are Sleep Debts Common in Alaska?

Sleep debts are a term that, at their root, refer to how much sleep deprivation you are suffering from. The idea is this: you are supposed to get a certain amount of sleep per night, and each night you get less than this amount adds to your “debt” of sleep that you need to catch up on. In reality, it’s not this simple at all.

What is Sleep Debt?

You’ve probably heard of the term “sleep debt.” It’s the term that refers how much less sleep you are getting than what you should be getting. The idea is that over time, a “sleep debt” forms that you need to get extra sleep to “pay back” your debt. To list it more succinctly: