Feeling cranky is far from the only problem caused by a lack of sleep. In fact, many health issues can stem from sleep deprivation, ranging from heart disease to mental health disorders. And if you routinely have trouble sleeping, you could go into sleep debt, where your body doesn’t get the quality sleep it needs.
What is sleep debt?
When you don’t get as much sleep as you need, you can go into “sleep debt” – also known as sleep deficit. For example, if you need eight hours of sleep but only get five on a particular night, you would have a sleep debt of three hours. Sleep debt can accumulate, so if you got six hours of sleep the next night, you’d have a sleep debt of five hours over two days.
Sleep debt can harm your health, negatively impacting your mood and putting you at a higher risk for chronic illness.
Lifestyle factors that lead to sleep debt
From stress to an irregular sleep schedule, there are many possible reasons you might not get enough shut-eye – which could lead to sleep debt.
Stress and anxiety
Whether you’re worried about your job, family or health, feeling stressed or anxious can make it harder to fall or stay asleep and put you into sleep debt. And to make matters worse, not sleeping enough can increase your stress and anxiety levels in your daily life.
Read more: 5 Ways to Cope When Sleep Anxiety Keeps You From Getting Quality Rest
Screen time
Many of us watch TV or scroll our phones before going to bed, but studies have shown that these habits can prevent us from falling asleep or getting good-quality sleep. If your screen time cuts into your sleep time, you can start to accumulate sleep debt.
You can also track your sleep habits – including roughly how long it takes you to fall asleep and how often you wake up each night – in a journal. Then, you can bring these records to your doctor to discuss potential problems and solutions.
Create a relaxing environment
Before bedtime, make sure your bedroom is cool and dark. You might also turn on relaxing music or white noise to help you ease into sleep.
Read more: Create the Perfect Sleep Environment in 7 Easy Steps
Exercise frequently
Working out can decrease your stress levels, which may make it easier to fall asleep. It might also help regulate your circadian rhythm, so you can get more consistent and quality sleep.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol before sleep
Both caffeine and alcohol can negatively impact your sleep quality, although for different reasons. For one, caffeine’s energizing effect can last for hours – even after your last cup. On the other hand, drinking alcohol can lead to uncomfortable side effects (like heartburn and acid reflux) and cause you to get less-restful sleep.
