Quick Answer: You may be chronically sleep deprived if you often feel like you could doze off while sitting, reading or riding in a car, or you do not wake up refreshed. NHLBI says adults need 7 to 8 hours, and that sleeping more on days off can be a sign you are not getting enough.
Get a quick estimate with our chronic sleep deprivation risk calculator.
What Is Chronic Sleep Deprivation?
It means regularly getting less sleep than you need. NHLBI explains that if you regularly lose sleep or choose to sleep less than needed, the loss adds up, and the total is called your sleep debt. Losing 2 hours a night builds a debt of 14 hours after a week (NHLBI).
NHLBI also uses the broader term sleep deficiency. It covers not getting enough sleep, sleeping at the wrong time of day, poor-quality sleep, or a sleep disorder that blocks good sleep. Learn how debt builds in stages of sleep deprivation.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
The NHLBI chart reflects recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
| Age | Recommended Sleep |
|---|---|
| Children 6 to 12 | 9 to 12 hours a day |
| Teens 13 to 18 | 8 to 10 hours a day |
| Adults 18 and older | 7 to 8 hours a day |
Needs vary from person to person. For the lower limit, see minimum sleep needed.
Are You Chronically Sleep Deprived? A Quick Self-Check
This is not a validated test. It uses the signs listed by NHLBI and MedlinePlus. Count how many apply to you most weeks.
- You do not wake up feeling refreshed and alert.
- You often feel like you could doze off while sitting and reading or watching TV.
- You could doze off sitting still in a public place, such as a meeting or classroom.
- You could doze off riding in a car for an hour without stopping, or sitting in traffic for a few minutes.
- You regularly take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
- You wake several times and have trouble falling back to sleep, or wake too early.
- You sleep more on days off than on workdays.
- You make more mistakes, react slower or have trouble remembering things.
NHLBI says how sleepy you feel during the day can help you figure out whether you have problem sleepiness. If several of these sound familiar for weeks, treat it as a reason to act, not a diagnosis.
What Does Sleep Deficiency Feel Like?
NHLBI says sleep deficiency can cause problems with learning, focusing and reacting. You may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, remembering things, managing your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. You may take longer to finish tasks, react more slowly and make more mistakes (NHLBI).
Children can look different. NHLBI says sleep-deficient children might be overly active, have problems paying attention, misbehave, feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, or lack motivation. For a fuller list, see signs of sleep deprivation.
Who Is Most Likely To Be Sleep Deficient?
NHLBI says sleep deficiency affects people of all ages, races and ethnicities, but some groups are more likely to have it:
- People with limited time for sleep, such as caregivers or people working long hours or more than one job
- People whose schedules clash with their body clocks, such as shift workers, first responders, teens with early school times, or people who travel for work
- People who make choices that cut sleep, such as taking medicine to stay awake, misusing alcohol or drugs, or not leaving enough time for sleep
- People with undiagnosed or untreated problems, such as stress, anxiety or sleep disorders
If your job or routine limits your sleep, talk with your doctor. NHLBI also says to talk with your doctor if you sleep more than 8 hours a night but do not feel well rested, since you may have a sleep disorder or another health problem.
How Small Is Too Small A Sleep Loss?
Even a little matters. NHLBI says that after several nights of losing sleep, even just 1 to 2 hours per night, your ability to function suffers as if you had not slept at all for a day or two. NHLBI-funded research also found that adults who regularly get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night have a lower risk of obesity and high blood pressure.
Is Drowsy Driving Really That Risky?
Yes. NHLBI says lack of sleep may lead to microsleep, which refers to brief moments of sleep that happen when you are normally awake. It says studies show sleep deficiency harms your driving ability as much as or more than being drunk. It estimates that driver sleepiness is a factor in about 100,000 car accidents each year, resulting in about 1,500 deaths.
If you feel drowsy while driving, pull over when it is safe. Do not count on coffee or an open window to fix it.
What Does Chronic Sleep Loss Do To Your Health?
NHLBI says the damage can happen in an instant, such as in a car crash, or harm you over time. Ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk of some chronic health problems. NHLBI describes these links:
- Mental health: sleep deficiency has been linked to depression, suicide and risk-taking behavior.
- Hunger hormones: ghrelin goes up and leptin goes down, which makes you feel hungrier.
- Blood sugar: sleep deficiency results in a higher-than-normal blood sugar level, which may raise diabetes risk.
- Immunity: you may have trouble fighting common infections.
- Heart and body: good sleep decreases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and stroke.
Can You Catch Up On Sleep?
Only partly. NHLBI says some people nap to deal with sleepiness, and naps may give a short-term boost in alertness and performance. But napping does not supply all the other benefits of nighttime sleep, so you cannot really make up for lost sleep that way.
Sleeping more on days off might be a sign you are not getting enough sleep. Extra sleep on days off might help you feel better, but it can upset your body’s sleep-wake rhythm. Read how to recover from sleep debt for a gradual plan.
What Else Could Explain Constant Tiredness?
Not everyone who feels tired is simply short on sleep. MedlinePlus says some people who feel tired during the day have a true sleep disorder, while others simply do not get enough sleep. It lists these signs that point to a disorder:
- You regularly take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
- You often feel sleepy by day, take frequent naps or fall asleep at the wrong times.
- Your bed partner says you snore loudly, snort, gasp or stop breathing for short periods.
- You have creeping or tingling sensations in your legs or arms that ease with movement.
- Your legs or arms jerk often during sleep.
A sleep study may be used to diagnose a sleep disorder, according to MedlinePlus.
How Can You Start Recovering?
These are practical steps, not a medical plan:
- Find your number. Start from the 7 to 8 hours NHLBI lists for adults.
- Move bedtime earlier. Add 15 minutes at a time until you wake without an alarm.
- Keep days off close to workdays. Big swings upset your rhythm.
- Use naps sparingly. They boost alertness but do not replace night sleep.
- Review daily habits. See sleep hygiene 101.
For the full picture of effects and fixes, read our sleep deprivation guide.
When To See A Doctor
Talk to your doctor if you often feel sleepy during the day, do not wake up feeling refreshed and alert, or have trouble adapting to shift work. NHLBI says doctors might not spot sleep problems at routine visits, so tell them you think you have one (NHLBI).
Before the visit, note how often you have trouble sleeping, your bed and wake times on workdays and days off, how long it takes to fall asleep, whether you snore loudly or wake gasping, and how often you doze off, especially while driving. Keep a sleep diary for a few weeks. If poor sleep comes with thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 in the US.
FAQs About Chronic Sleep Deprivation
How Do I Know If I Am Chronically Sleep Deprived?
Signs include not waking refreshed, often feeling like you could doze off while sitting still, and sleeping much more on days off. A doctor can check for a sleep disorder.
How Many Hours Is Chronic Sleep Deprivation?
There is no single cutoff in the sources we used. NHLBI lists 7 to 8 hours for adults and describes sleep debt as the total sleep lost over time.
Can Naps Fix Sleep Debt?
Not fully. NHLBI says naps may give a short-term boost, but they do not supply all the benefits of night sleep.
Is Sleepy Driving As Bad As Drunk Driving?
NHLBI says studies show sleep deficiency harms driving ability as much as or more than being drunk.
What Does Sleep Deficiency Do To Mood?
NHLBI says it can make emotions harder to manage and has been linked to depression, suicide and risk-taking behavior.
Your Next Step
Enter your usual hours to see how much sleep debt you have built up.