Can You Catch Up on Hours of Lost Sleep?

Q: I’ve heard the term “sleep debt” but have seen conflicting headlines on whether or not it can be repaid. If I miss a lot of sleep during the week, will sleeping in on the weekends counteract the health risks? A: Most of my clients over the years have had more sleep debt than they have credit card debt. When you’re killing it career-wise, are fitting in social time, and are potentially also raising kids, it can be nearly impossible to get enough shut-eye. RELATED: How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? But as you cut an hour here and two hours there, sleep debt adds up just like the financial kind. Instead of draining your bank account, it drains your body and leads to major negative health effects, from short-term foggy brain to long-term inflammation and increased risk of obesity and heart disease. RELATED: Why You Really Need to Get More Sleep The short answer is this: you can make up for lost hours by sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday when it comes to counteracting some of the negative effects of sleep deprivation, but it’s still better to prioritize sleep daily. Here’s a quick explanation of the research. Can You Repay Sleep Debt by Snoozing? First, the good news. Not getting enough sleep is clearly linked to weight gain, but recent research showed repaying sleep debt may counteract that effect. In a study on more than 2,000 people who didn’t sleep enough during the week, sleeping in on the weekends was significantly associated with a lower BMI. The more sleep participants made up, the healthier their weights were. Other studies have shown that measures of  “daytime sleepiness” and inflammation are significantly reduced after sleep debt has been repaid. The same research, however, showed people weren’t able to bounce back as easily when it came to some negative cognitive effects of sleep deprivation, like attention span, and other research has backed that up. One very small study, for example, showed long-term sleep debt really threw off people’s mental acuity. RELATED: Are Your Sleep Habits Messing with Your Mental Health? An important point: that study was on long-term sleep debt, and that’s the kind I’d say you really want to avoid. If you only get five hours for a couple of days because of a big work event and a super fun night out with friends once in a blue moon, it’s likely fine to just let yourself sleep in before brunch that weekend. But weeks and weeks and months and months of not sleeping enough adds up. According to a Harvard sleep researcher, “If you’ve shorted yourself on sleep for decades, you won’t be required to put in a Rip Van Winkle–like effort to repay the hours of missed slumber. Nonetheless, it could take a few weeks to recoup your losses.” So, ideally, try to prioritize sleep the same way you would fitting in workouts. Make a daily effort to get enough—it’s just as important as eating your veggies.

Why You Really Need to Get More Sleep

Busy people prioritize pretty much everything else over hours spent in bed, but the case for why you should get more sleep might be more convincing than you realize. It’s not just about waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every morning, with energy to seize the day. (Although that’s a nice side effect!) Skimping on sleep seriously affects your health on multiple levels—from your mental state to how often you end up miserable with the flu. RELATED: How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Really Need? Still thinking you’ve got to stay up to watch Girls and then wake up at 5:00 a.m. to make a pre-work workout class? Consider these five science-backed reasons to get more sleep, first. 4 Reasons to Get More Sleep 1. Sleep helps you maintain a healthy weight. The research is pretty conclusive: getting enough sleep is key to weight management. When you sleep more, you simply have less time to eat, and some studies have shown you may also make better food choices. But it’s deeper than that. Those who are sleep deprived have higher levels of ghrelin—a hormone that stimulates appetite—circulating in their blood, which causes an increase in hunger. In other words, your body’s hormonal response to being tired is to tell you to eat more. (Thanks a lot, body.) 2. Sleep protects your brain. Studies suggest that sleep flushes out toxins that accumulate in your brain during the day, and that process could benefit functions like reasoning and memory over the long term. There’s also major overlap between individuals with sleep disorders and conditions like depression and anxiety. (Although the research is not clear on whether lack of sleep leads to mental health issues or issues like depression cause sleep disorders…or both.) Bonus: Getting enough sleep is going to give you the energy to engage in other healthy habits proven to protect your brain—like exercising and making healthy food choices. RELATED: The Gut-Brain Connection and How It Impacts Your Health 3. Sleep is good for your heart. In a 2011 study, women who reported sleep deprivation had higher levels of biomarkers for inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke. A 2010 research review found “short sleep duration” is associated with high blood pressure, which is also a risk factor for heart disease. RELATED: What Inflammation Is and How It Affects Your Health 4. Sleep protects your immune system. Speaking of inflammation, sleep is a major regulator of immune system processes. Research shows not getting enough sleep over a long period of time creates a stress response that promotes chronic inflammation and weakens the immune system’s defenses against disease. Translation: less sleep equals more sick days. Ready to work harder on setting a bedtime? Try incorporating these sleep-inducing foods into your diet, breathing in these essential oils, or reviewing these six tips for better sleep.

Can’t Sleep? 4 Bulletproof Tools to Kick Insomnia

Can’t sleep? Tossing and turning making for some very restless nights? Losing precious hours of sleep can make even the most bright-eyed and bushy-tailed of us feel groggy, unfocused and just flat out cranky the next day. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems at least a few nights a week, and greater than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month. If none of that describes you, we’re all jealous. For the rest of us, we need to be proactive to get ahead on some zzz’s. Science tells us that just like there are healthy foods that help you feel energized, boost your immune system and have glowing skin, there are also foods that help you sleep. But if you’ve got that covered, then I’ve got four non food tips for when you can’t sleep, too. Can’t Sleep? 4 Bulletproof Tools to Kick Insomnia Sleep (with the right) light: It’s time to stop caring what you look like when you’re asleep, peops. A sleep mask can go a long way by creating an environment of complete darkness. I’ve been accused of keeping it too bright in the bedroom, so take it from me, I know this change works. If the whole mask thing freaks you out or you’re more high tech than that you may want to try one of my favorite gadgets by Withings. This sleek alarm clock lights up your room in just the right way to help promote the secretion of sleep hormones! Yep, you read that right. Snooze without sounds: If the sound of cicadas is driving you crazy instead of helping you drift off to sleep, take control of your eardrums and invest in a white noise machine. On the go? Digital noise works, too. In fact, your white noise app just may take Instagram’s spot on your iphone. It’s also useful for those times when you find your hotel room is by the ice machine. Smell your way to sleep: Aromatherapy is one my favorite ways to help with relaxation and sleep. Try a dab of lavender on your pillow or rub into your temples. One study even showed essential oils like lavender cause a similar reaction on specific neuroreceptors as anti-anxiety medications. Lavender has long been associated with reducing anxiety and decreasing insomnia. Have you heard of Lavender and chill? It’s like Netflix and chill without the Netflix. Stress it out: Got things on the mind? I feel your pain, big time. I usually go to bed with just about 1,000 things on my mind nightly. A good way to put the buzzing in your head to rest is to write it down. Yes, put pen to paper and write down the few things you’re stressing about. You can get back to them in the morning but they’ll be less likely to take your zzz’s when you’ve released them for the evening. Can’t sleep just became can’t stay awake. Say goodbye to blinking cell phones, digital clocks, or faulty window shades. It’s time to make your dreams come true and get the rest that you deserve. Now go buy yourself some new fave pjs – seriously, if fun workout gear motivates you to get to the gym, then fun jammies should motivate you to get to bed – and challenge yourself to get a solid 8 hours tonight.