Herbie Murray
The idea that you can train your brain to need less sleep is a common one, perhaps because of the existence of the so-called sleepless elite, who can function on five hours of sleep or less per night without any apparent negative effects. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support the idea that you can train your brain to need less sleep. In fact, studies have shown the opposite to be true: the more sleep debt you accumulate, the more vulnerable you become to subsequent sleep loss.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can you train your brain to need less sleep? | No, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this idea. |
| Effects of chronic sleep loss on cognition | A study showed that after 2 weeks of 6 hours of sleep per night, participants performed at the same level as those who had been awake for 24 hours. |
| Physiological effects of chronic sleep restriction | Chronic sleep restriction up-regulates adenosine A1 receptors in the brain, making the brain more sensitive to the sleep-promoting substance. |
| Polyphasic sleep schedules | This is pure pseudoscience. Every cell in the body contains a circadian clock that cannot be reshaped or adapted. |
| Sleep debt | The more sleep debt you accumulate, the more vulnerable you become to subsequent sleep loss. |
| Sleep and health | Sleeping less could lead to daytime fatigue, loss of concentration, lowered immune response, and weight gain. |
| Recommended sleep | A healthy adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep per night to maintain good health. |
| Sleep and performance | A study showed that participants who slept 9 hours performed the best on "psychomotor vigilance" tasks, which measure reaction time. |
| Lapse | A momentary shutdown of the prefrontal cortex causing a person to be temporarily unable to respond to stimuli. |
| Sleep and genetics | A team led by geneticist Ying-Hui Fu discovered a mutation of a gene called hDEC2 in a mother and daughter who went to bed very late but were up bright and early every morning. |
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What You'll Learn
Sleep debt makes you more vulnerable to subsequent sleep loss
Sleep debt, or sleep deficit, is the difference between the amount of sleep your body needs and the amount you actually get. For example, if your body needs eight hours of sleep per night but you only get six, you have accumulated two hours of sleep debt.
The more sleep debt you accumulate, the more vulnerable you become to subsequent sleep loss. This means that the longer you regularly sleep for fewer hours, the more your body will struggle with further sleep loss.
For example, in a classic study, participants were kept on a two-week schedule of either eight, six, or four hours in bed each night. Across the two weeks, reaction times became progressively worse for those getting six or four hours of sleep, with no sign of levelling off. After two weeks, those receiving six hours of sleep per night were performing at the same level as those who had been awake for 24 hours (approximately equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10%). Those receiving four hours of sleep per night were performing as though they had been awake for 48-72 hours.
Another study found that it can take up to four days to recover from one hour of lost sleep and up to nine days to completely eliminate sleep debt.
Physiologically, chronic sleep restriction up-regulates adenosine A1 receptors in the brain. The effects of sleep deprivation are largely mediated by the accumulation of sleep-promoting substances in the brain, including adenosine. With sleep restriction, the brain becomes more sensitive to the same concentration of accumulated adenosine. Similarly, the brain becomes desensitized to the wake-promoting neurotransmitter serotonin with chronic sleep restriction.
In short, the longer you spend accumulating sleep debt, the more vulnerable you become to further sleep loss.
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Chronic sleep loss can lead to poor health outcomes
Sleep deprivation can have a major impact on your health. Not getting enough sleep or disruptions to your sleep can have a major impact on your daytime functioning, including poor concentration, reduced reaction times, and altered mood. In children, sleep deprivation can affect behaviour and school performance. Chronic sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on your brain, metabolic (e.g., overweight/obesity, diabetes) and immune health.
- Central nervous system: Sleep is necessary to keep your central nervous system functioning properly, but chronic insomnia can disrupt how your body usually sends and processes information. Sleep deprivation can make it more difficult for you to concentrate or learn new things. It can also delay the signals your body sends, decreasing your coordination and increasing your risk for accidents.
- Cardiovascular system: Sleep affects processes that keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, including those that affect your blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation levels. It also plays a vital role in your body’s ability to heal and repair the blood vessels and heart. People who don’t sleep enough are more likely to get cardiovascular disease.
- Immune system: Sleep and the immune system are closely connected. During sleep, your immune system produces protective, infection-fighting substances like antibodies and cytokines. Sleep deprivation prevents your immune system from building up its forces. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body may not be able to fend off invaders, and it may also take you longer to recover from illness.
- Respiratory system: The relationship between sleep and the respiratory system goes both ways. A nighttime breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can interrupt your sleep and lower sleep quality. As you wake up throughout the night, this can cause sleep deprivation, which leaves you more vulnerable to respiratory infections like the common cold and flu. Sleep deprivation can also make existing respiratory diseases worse, such as chronic lung illness.
- Endocrine system: Sleep affects the levels of two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which control feelings of hunger and fullness. A lack of sleep can also make you feel too tired to exercise. Over time, reduced physical activity can make you gain weight because you’re not burning enough calories and not building muscle mass.
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Sleep deprivation can be as impairing as drunkenness
Sleep is an essential pillar of health, and it is not possible to train yourself to need less of it. In fact, the more sleep debt you accumulate, the more vulnerable you become to subsequent sleep loss.
The effects of sleep deprivation include fatigue, sadness, stress, anger, and diminished performance. A "lapse" is a term used to describe a momentary shutdown of the prefrontal cortex, causing a person to be temporarily unable to respond to stimuli. Lapses are more common than falling asleep and are particularly dangerous because people may feel they can fight off dozing, but a lapse is outside their control.
College students pulling all-nighters and new parents are two groups that often experience the effects of significantly reduced sleep. Some people may try a polyphasic sleep schedule, also known as the Da Vinci sleep schedule, which involves taking 15-20 minute naps every couple of hours, totalling between two and five hours of sleep per day. However, chronobiologist Cynthia LaJambe notes that such fragmented sleep patterns inevitably take a toll on alertness, and people may not realise the functional decline happening gradually.
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Sleep-deprived people think they adapt but perform at a lower level
Sleep-deprived people often think they are adapting to their lack of sleep, but in reality, they are performing at a lower level. Studies have shown that the more sleep debt you accumulate, the more vulnerable you become to subsequent sleep loss.
One study kept people on a 2-week schedule of either 8, 6, or 4 hours of time in bed per night. Across the 2 weeks, reaction times became progressively worse for those getting 6 or 4 hours of sleep, with no sign of levelling off. After 2 weeks, those receiving 6 hours of sleep per night were performing at the same level as those who had been awake for 24 hours (which is approximately equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10%.) Those receiving 4 hours of sleep per night were performing as though they had been awake for 48-72 hours.
Another study gave participants 4 hours of sleep per night for 5 nights, followed by a single night of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 hours. Cognitive performance after the last night depended on the amount of sleep they had gotten the night before—10 hours was better than 8 hours, 8 hours was better than 6 hours, and so on.
A third study kept participants on either their habitual schedule (7 hours time in bed) or gave them 10 hours time in bed for a week. They were then subjected to a week of 3 hours time in bed. Those who had been allowed to bank sleep performed much better during the restriction. This shows that getting less sleep chronically does not "toughen you up"; it just makes you more vulnerable to subsequent sleep loss.
Sleep-deprived people may think they are functioning well, but in reality, they are performing at a lower level than they would be with a full night's sleep. They may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, remembering things, managing their emotions and behaviour, and coping with change. They may take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behaviour.
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Genetics play a role in the amount of sleep needed
While there is no scientific evidence that people can train themselves to need less sleep, genetics do play a role in the amount of sleep a person needs.
Sleep Requirements
The amount of sleep a person needs varies from individual to individual and is influenced by a combination of genetic, cultural, environmental, and behavioural factors. Most adults require approximately 8 hours of sleep per 24 hours, but sleep needs may range from about 6 to 9 hours.
Internal Biological Clocks
The circadian rhythms generated by our internal biological clocks vary from individual to individual. These clocks are influenced by genetics and, most often, run slightly longer than 24 hours.
Morning vs Evening Types
Whether a person is a "lark" (morning-type) or an "owl" (evening-type) is also influenced by genetics. Genes influence how fast or slow our internal clocks tick and, as a result, how closely they align with the 24-hour day.
Sleep Disorders
Research suggests that other sleep disorders, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, also have a genetic component. For example, a specific gene causes narcolepsy-like symptoms in mice and dogs, and a similar gene in humans produces a protein in the brain that promotes wakefulness.
Vulnerability to Sleep Loss
Some people are also genetically predisposed to be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of sleep loss. For example, people with a slight genetic variation in one or more genes are much more vulnerable to the adverse effects of sleep loss than the average person.
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Frequently asked questions
According to chronobiologist Cynthia LaJambe, adapting to less sleep in a short period is not possible. However, some people are genetically predisposed to need less sleep.
Sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, sadness, stress, anger, and diminished performance. It can also cause high blood pressure, weight gain, and an increased risk of diabetes and other illnesses.
The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7-9 hours per night. However, this can vary depending on individual needs, with some people requiring more or less sleep.
Strategies such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, getting natural sunlight, avoiding bright lights and blue light before bed, and regular exercise can improve sleep quality and help reduce the need for sleep.
