My NAV CANADA Fatigue Management

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Sleep Debt

Although the average adult sleep need is about 8 hours each day, most adults only get 6.5-7 hours of sleep.

Lost sleep does not just evaporate; it accumulates into a sleep debt. Obtaining less sleep than is physiologically needed creates an accumulation of sleep debt. Think of it like a bank account: lost sleep drives the account into the red.

A commonly held belief is that after sleep loss, an individual has to "make up" that sleep debt by sleeping the number of hours equal to those lost. Scientific laboratory studies have demonstrated that following sleep deprivation, recovery sleep is deeper (more NREM stages 3 and 4), rather than extended. During recovery sleep, an individual might sleep somewhat longer, but the most notable feature is the increase in deep sleep.

Depending on the level of sleep loss, it can take up to two nights to "re-pay" and make up for previous sleep debt. The repayment is made up in quality, deep restorative sleep versus hour for hour lost.

Exercise

Exercise plays an important role in promoting better sleep.

Regular exercisers who maintain a consistent exercise routine over a period of a few months obtain more deep sleep (NREM Stage 3 & 4) than non-exercisers and individuals that exercise irregularly.

The type of exercise you decide to do has little effect on how deeply you sleep, so whether you decide to walk, run, swim, or do yoga, doing it regularly is the key to getting a deep sleep—as long as it is not too close to bedtime.

A caution regarding the use of exercise as an alertness strategy is that it can disturb subsequent sleep episodes if the exercise occurs too close to bedtime.

Exercise can also enhance alertness. People feel more alert while they are exercising and for a period of time after finishing a workout—even if the workout is brief and light.

Good Exercise HabitsOpen a new window

Fatigue Management

What is Fatigue?

Alertness Strategies and Good Sleep Habits