How your body copes with lack of sleep

How your body copes with lack of sleep

Thomas J Balkin’s latest article in Oxford Academic’s Sleep journal claims that sleep banking, a concept hinged on extending nighttime rest to counter potential future deficit, is a result of storing up extra sleep. “All individuals, regardless of sleep history, can benefit operationally from sleep banking,” concludes Balkin’s study published in November 2025. The paper claims that getting a couple of extra hours of sleep at night not only helps address the loss-of-sleep-induced deficit in alertness and performance but also encourages faster recovery from sleep restriction.

How does that work?

Dr Sunil Kumar K, Lead Consultant – Interventional Pulmonology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, explained that sleep banking is a simple idea backed by science. It means getting extra rest on the days before a stressful, demanding, or sleep-loss event, such as travel, night shifts, exams, long workdays, or competitions.

“You cannot truly ‘store’ sleep the way you save money, but extra rest can raise your baseline and protect your brain and body when sleep is later reduced,” he told indianexpress.com.

Quoting existing research, he said that people who sleep more before sleep deprivation perform better, feel less tired, and recover faster. Extra sleep improves attention, reaction time, mood, and decision-making. It also supports immunity and stress control. “While sleep banking does not cancel the damage of severe sleep loss, it reduces how bad the effects feel and how quickly they appear,” he added.

How can you sleep bank?

According to Dr Kumar, the best way to approach sleep banking is to do so gently and in a planned way. He shared a few practical suggestions to help you get started:

• Start three to seven days before the event.
• Go to bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual.
• Wake up at the same time each day if possible.
• Add a short afternoon nap of 20 to 30 minutes if needed, but avoid late naps.
• Focus on sleep quality, not just time.
• Keep the bedroom dark, calm, and quiet.
• Avoid caffeine after early afternoon.
• Reduce screens one hour before bed.
• Keep meals light at night.
• Get morning sunlight to keep your body clock stable.
“Do not force long sleep if your body is not ready. Do not oversleep on one single day, because that can disrupt your rhythm,” said Dr Kumar. Think of sleep banking as building a buffer, not a cure.

Dr Kumar concluded that sleep banking is effective when done early, calmly, and consistently. It helps your body cope better with stress, but it never replaces regular, healthy sleep.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.