How to Make Up for Sleep Debt

An adequate amount of daily sleep is necessary for overall health.

Sleep is one of the body's most critical needs, just like water and food. The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep each day, and most Americans don't meet that requirement, according to Harvard Health Publications. Lack of sleep is common among new mothers and people with health conditions, but most often, sleep debt is racked up because Americans adhere to exhausting schedules that don't allow an appropriate amount of time for sleeping. Sleep debt occurs when a person doesn't get enough sleep, and large amounts can be detrimental over time. Sleeping in a couple days a week isn't enough to counter a large amount of sleep debt.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Daily Planner

Instructions

1. Calculate what your bed time should be based upon what time your alarm goes off. If your alarm sounds at 5:30 a.m., then bedtime should be somewhere between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Make it a priority to get to bed at the right time each night.

2. 

   Examine your planner for activities that aren't necessary.

   Examine daily schedules for any activities that can be moved to an earlier time or eliminated completely. It takes the body around 30 minutes to wind down, so if bedtime is 10:30 p.m., then all activities should be completed by 10 p.m.

3. Keep track of bed time, waking time, and hours slept each day in a sleep journal. Make note of how you feel each day. Over time, you will learn what your body needs to recuperate every day and what your typical sleep patterns are.

4. Schedule adequate time for sleeping and try not to put off sleeping in order to complete other tasks. Commit to getting seven-to-nine hours of sleep every night and be consistent.

5. Make up short-term sleep loss by sleeping an extra hour or two for a few nights. Long-term sleep loss may require a longer amount of time to make up. A vacation without alarm clocks or scheduled activities can help to eliminate sleep debt and let you start over with a clean slate.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid caffeine during afternoon and evening hours.

• Don't complete regular exercise within three hours of bed time.

• Make your bedroom a haven for sleeping, relaxation, and intimacy only--keep all distractions, like the TV or computer, in another room.

References

• Harvard Health Publications: Repaying Your Sleep Debt
• Help Guide: How Much Sleep do you Need?

Resources

• CBS.com: Tips for Winding Down