How to Treat Sleep Deprivation

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1Treating Sleep Deprivation

2Finding Ways to Stay Awake

3Recognizing the Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation

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Sleep deprivation occurs when you don’t get the proper amount of sleep that you need each night. Sleep deprivation can cause decreased alertness, grogginess, delayed reaction time, and a suppressed immune system. To treat sleep deprivation, get more sleep, develop a sleep hygiene plan, and diagnose any underlying sleep problems.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Treating Sleep Deprivation

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   Sleep more. The best and most obvious way to treat sleep deprivation is to get more sleep. Since sleep deprivation occurs if you don’t sleep enough, increasing your amount of sleep can get rid of the symptoms. Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so try to get an amount of sleep within that window each night.

   • If the sleep deprivation is caused by an isolated incident, like one all-nighter, one good night’s sleep can help you recover.
   • If you are suffering from sleep deprivation due to lack of sleep over an extended time, you can sleep longer each night or take 20-minute naps throughout the day.
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   Repay your sleep debt. When you don’t get the sleep that you need each night, you end up with a sleep debt. Sleep debt is the amount of sleep you missed out on — so, if you only slept five hours when you should have slept eight, that's three hours of sleep debt. If you do this twice a week, you have a six hour sleep debt. Sleep deprivation can be treated by repaying your sleep debt by catching up on that much sleep.

   • You should sleep the amount of hours you owe your body to help avoid and treat sleep deprivation. This might take days, weeks, or even longer.
   • There is disagreement on whether or not sleep debt can truly be repaid; however, one study found that a 20-minute nap could make up for one hour of missed sleep. The best course of action is usually to make changes to your sleep schedule so that you ensure you get adequate sleep going forward.
   • You may end up with severe sleep debt from hundreds of hours of missed sleep, resulting in serious and irreversible health problems.
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   Visit your doctor. If you are suffering sleep deprivation, you should go see your doctor. The sleep deprivation may be caused by an underlying condition, such as insomnia, depression, or sleep apnea. Your doctor may be able to diagnose the condition or refer you to a sleep clinic.

   • Your doctor will ask you various questions about your sleeping habits to try to figure out the underlying condition.
   • The doctor may prescribe a sleeping pill to temporarily help you sleep better. Sleeping pills, prescribed or over-the-counter, should be a temporary fix. Sleeping pills can lead to worse sleep problems if used for a long time. Using sleeping pills daily can lead to dependence.
   • If you think you may be dependent on sleeping pills, do not stop abruptly. Gradually wean yourself off the pills over a period of days or weeks with the help of your physician. Be aware of side effects such as headaches and nausea.
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   Improve your sleep hygiene. To get a better night’s sleep, you should improve your sleep hygiene, including adopting a consistent sleep routine. Start by going to sleep and getting up at the same time every night, even on weekends. Prioritize sleep by making sure you have seven to nine hours each night.

   • Make sure your sleep environment is appropriate for sleep. The room should be dark, quiet, and cool. If you need some kind of noise to help you fall asleep, try a fan or white noise machine.
   • Don’t use electronics — including smartphones, tablets, laptops, televisions — at least a half hour before going to bed.
   • Start winding down for sleep 10 minutes to an hour before bedtime. It might help to have a nightly routine that includes relaxing activities, like a warm bath, laying out your clothes for the next day, or writing in a journal.
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   Keep a sleep diary. To help figure out why or what is leading to the sleep deprivation, you can keep a sleep diary. A sleep diary can help you find reasons why you are losing sleep or habits that are causing you to have less sleep that you need. Make sure to keep your diary every day for a couple of weeks.

   • Include information about your sleeping habits, such as when you lay down to sleep and finally fall asleep. Include when you wake up, how many hours you actually slept, how many times you woke up during the night, and how restful the sleep was.
   • Make a note of what you did if you couldn’t fall asleep, such as laying there, watching television, or got up for a few minutes.
   • List the food you ate and beverages consumed and when, especially those with caffeine.
   • Note your mood or stress level that day.
   • A sleep diary can be extremely helpful if you end up seeing a physician to discuss your sleep issues. It will be a great reference point for them.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Finding Ways to Stay Awake

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   Become active. Being active can help you treat mild sleep deprivation. If you engage in a short activity a few times a day, it can help increase alertness. The feeling of being alert may fade fast, so you may have to be active again. If your sleep deprivation is severe, you may feel more tired instead of feeling energized.

   • Try light activity, like a quick walk or other light cardio. Choose an activity that will get your blood pumping, not tire you out.
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   Turn on a bright light. Being exposed to light can help you feel more awake. Light causes your body to reduce its production of melatonin, which is the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Light helps your body's circadian rhythm align with the day-cycle, when we feel awake and alert. Try turning on an overhead light, opening the windows, turning on multiple lights in a room, using a light box, or even going outside into the sunshine.

   • Even if it is the middle of the day, increasing the brightness in your room or office may help you feel more alert and less sleepy.
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   Sit up straighter. Adopting good posture may help you stay up when you have sleep deprivation. When you stand or sit up, it helps engage body functions that help you stay alert. If you are suffering from sleep deprivation, try sitting with as good posture as possible.

   • If you can, stand to help stay awake.
4. 
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   Increase your caffeine. Caffeine is a common short-term treatment for sleep deprivation. Caffeine is a stimulant that helps increase alertness. You can drink caffeine in coffee, tea, or soda, and it can be found in some foods, like chocolate. Small amounts of caffeine throughout the day works best to help keep you awake and alert.

   • Be aware that caffeine can cause side effects, such as headaches or shaking if you consume too much. Caffeine is not recommend for children and women who are nursing or pregnant.
   • Caffeine cannot help with severe sleep deprivation. Avoid caffeine at least four to five hours before bedtime.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Recognizing the Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation

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   Decide if you are always tired. If you are sleep deprived, you may feel tired all the time. You may yawn often during the day and find it hard to stay awake when you are doing tasks. You may feel groggy in the morning or throughout the day.

   • You may find yourself dozing off at random times, especially during meetings, while watching television, or even when driving.
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   Determine if you are mentally alert. Another symptom of sleep deprivation is a lack of mental alertness. This means you may have trouble concentrating, you may not think as clearly, your memory may be weaker than usual, or you may have decreased reaction time.

   • Many accidents occur due to lack of mental alertness due to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can cause all of your thought processes to work slower and not as efficiently as when you are fully rested.
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   Figure out if you are getting sick more often. Sleep deprivation can lead to a lowered immune system. This can cause you to get sick more often because your body is unable to fight off bacteria, viruses, and other diseases. Sleep deprivation can also cause you to get better more slowly that if you were rested.

   • If you have been getting sick often, or if you are unable to kick a cold or other condition, you may be sleep deprived.
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