Chronically losing sleep has the potential to cause many health problems. It can put you at an increased risk for diabetes, a weakened immune system, and high blood pressure. You might also have higher levels of cortisol , a stress hormone. This can lead to anger, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In addition, drowsiness increases your risk of falling asleep behind the wheel and getting into an accident.

Many people think they can make up for their lost sleep on the weekends. However, if you sleep too long on Saturday and Sunday, it’s difficult to get to bed on time on Sunday night. The deficit then continues into the next week.

Human need about 7.1 hours of sleep per night to feel good, but 73 percent of us fall short of that goal on a regular basis. This is due to many factors, such as school responsibilities, long work hours, and increased use of electronics like smartphones.

What is sleep deficit? The amount of time you sleep is like putting money in a bank account. If you don’t get enough, it’s withdrawn and has to be repaid. When you’re in chronic sleep debt, you’re never able to catch up.

Additionally, many people who lose sleep do so chronically instead of just once in a while. This creates a sleep deficit, making it harder to catch up on sleep and increasing the likelihood of sleep deprivation symptoms.

In the long term, the low-level inflammation caused by sleep loss actually increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Sleep deprivation has been shown in research to actually shed years off one’s life.

As our sleep deficit grows, consequences grow more alarming. It starts with foggy thinking, daytime sleepiness, impaired attention, increased cortisol levels, weakened immune system, accelerated aging, mood instability, impaired memory, and compromised safety (like poor driving or making bad decisions). All of which have dramatic implications for our quality of life and overall health.

The average amount of sleep that human need for optimum performance, safety and health on a daily basis is called our “sleep need” and is typically seven to nine hours per night. When we get less than our sleep need we build up what is called “sleep debt.” Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep we should be getting and the amount we actually get.

When we experience sleepiness we are overtired, yet we dismiss the connections that sleepiness has to many health problems. We typically fuel up with tea, coffee, or energy drinks and push through. And, unfortunately, the more sleep deprived we are, the less we recognize it.

We all know we are supposed to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night, but all of us skimp from time to time, getting, say, 5 hours one night and 6 hours the next. Those lost hours, though, can add up to a big sleep debt by the end of the week. But here's a bit of good news: Sleeping in after a few days of missed sleep can help pay back that debt, nearly erasing any lingering sense of fatigue and mental fuzziness. The brain has a built-in reflex that helps you sleep deeper and longer when you're sleep deprived.This recovery sleep seems to have a genuine benefit to restoring alertness.

We can't fight biology. The only cure for sleep deprivation is sleep. But for many of us, there are days that we just have to cope with not getting enough sleep. Here are some tips that may help:





Get your blood moving.

Speaking of being active, a workout is great way to wake up. Exercise boosts energy and adrenaline levels through circulation and a speed-up to your metabolism. And those changes should help you survive the day. Exercise will also help you sleep better at night.

If you don’t have time for a workout, just run up and down a set of stairs or go for a walk during a break.





Eat well and stay hydrated.

When you are sleep deprived, your body tries to conserve energy so you may not have the energy or the appetite to eat and drink normally. Avoid fast food and empty-calorie snacks that can make you feel even less energetic.





Drink lots of water.

We get sick when we’re dehydrated. So, the more water we drink, the more alert and wake we feel. Drinking all of that water requires more restroom breaks, which in turn is a simple way to be more active and not fall asleep at the desk.

Add some lemon to your water. The zest should pep you up.

Grab a quick nap.

You can store up on sleep if you know you are going to have a sleepless night, so restore some energy and alertness by taking a quick nap during the day. Even 15 to 20 minutes can help. In fact, if you nap longer than 30 minutes, it may be too hard for you to wake up again.

There is no substitute for a good night's sleep. If you become sleep deprived, you can eventually make up for lost sleep, but you can't do it in one night. You can catch up gradually over a few nights. If you have long-term symptoms of sleep deprivation, or you suffer from frequent insomnia, talk to your doctor. Insomnia can be a sign of a serious medical problem and may need to be treated.





Get some exercise.

Some moderate aerobic exercise can give you a temporary boost, but don't overdue the exercise or you will make your fatigue worse.





Cut back on large meals.

Avoid eating large meals, junk food or a ton of carbohydrates rich meal. Those foods will make you drowsy. Instead, munch on a series of lighter meals that are lean and contain plenty of proteins: specifically, foods that contain tyrosine.





Enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.

Getting out in the sunlight helps reset your biological clock, Your body will stop making the hormone melatonin when you are exposed to bright sunlight, and that may make you less sleepy.





Try to look better than you feel.

If you look sloppy or neglect your personal hygiene, you may start to look and feel even worse. Keeping up appearances can help you hang in there on a sleepy day.





Take a cold shower.

A cold shower can stimulates your body, and the sudden shock will often help wake you up. Of course, you may not be able to take a cold shower multiple times throughout the day.

If you’re at work, try splashing some cold water on your face in the restroom or placing an ice cube on your wrists or temple.





Prioritize and simplify your day.

When you’re tired, you probably aren’t at your most productive. So, why would you stress yourself out and try to complete ten different tasks? Chances are, you can get away with shaving down that list by crossing off your most important ones and leaving items that can wait until another day. In other words, simplify your day as much as possible.





Change things up.

Monotony won't help you stay awake. Throughout the day, change things up so you have some variety to keep you going.

Whether that means joking around with co-workers, making phone calls, watching movie trailers on YouTube, playing a computer game or doing a little yoga in your office, spicing up your day will keep you stimulated when you’re extremely tired.





Go outside.

Sunlight helps you battle afternoon sleepiness because it increases the levels of vitamins D and B. On top of that, sunlight in moderation will improve your mood, help you focus and give your immune system a little boost, which is needed because you put your immune system in danger when you don’t get enough sleep.





Have a piece of gum.

Researchers have discovered that chewing gum can reduce sleepiness, probably because it enhances cerebral activity. If you want to get the most out of your gum-chewing experience, stick with mint-flavored gum because mint has more of a rousing effect.

Chewing gum will give you only a temporary burst, so rely on it at those rare times when you really need a boost.





Lack of sleep can make you grumpy and foggy. You may not know what it can do to your intimacy life, memory, health, looks, and even ability to lose weight.



