When you’re “carrying around a heavy load of sleepiness” experts call this “sleep debt,” according to the report.
“Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount you actually get,” the outlet writes.
“People accumulate sleep debt surreptitiously,” says psychiatrist William C. Dement, founder of the Stanford University Sleep Clinic.
Here’s more from the report:
Studies show that such short-term sleep deprivation leads to a foggy brain, worsened vision, impaired driving, and trouble remembering. Long-term effects include obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease. And most Americans suffer from chronic deprivation. A 2005 survey by the National Sleep Foundation reports that, on average, Americans sleep 6.9 hours per night—6.8 hours during the week and 7.4 hours on the weekends. Generally, experts recommend eight hours of sleep per night, although some people may require only six hours of sleep while others need ten.
The sleep experts claim that if you add an extra hour of sleep to your nightly routine, you can catch up on your sleep debt. They also suggest that you allow your body to naturally wake up in the morning (no alarm clock).
“For recovery sleep, both the hours slept and the intensity of the sleep are important,” per the outlet.
