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What's the difference between time spent in bed and bank balance? No, this isn't the start of a terrible joke – and the answer isn't as simple as you think.
We all have the odd occasion where we stay up too late and don't get enough sleep. Think of it like splurging on an expensive dinner. I probably shouldn't, but I hope it doesn't hurt my bank balance too much.
This article is part of a special series exploring important questions about sleep. Click here for details.
However, not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is a problem for many people, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports: One-third of adults spend less than 7 hours a night – Sleep debt can accumulate and have serious implications for your physical and mental health (see Why your chronotype is key to knowing how much sleep you need). Just like paying off a financial debt, getting your sleep back requires a plan.
Part of the problem is that we may not realize how much sleep debt we have and how negatively it is affecting us. in one studyFor example, participants were randomly selected to work 4, 6, or 8 hours per night for 14 consecutive days. Ultimately, those who slept less than six hours showed cognitive impairments equivalent to up to two full nights of no sleep. However, even though they felt unwell after a few days, from then on, those who underwent sleep restriction did not necessarily realize that their cognitive performance continued to decline. “A tired brain cannot recognize how tired it is.” Russell Foster,a…
Source: www.newscientist.com
