Building up your sleep reserves in advance helps you get some rest

Dr. Diego Ramonfaur often faces a lack of sleep. As a third-year internal medicine resident at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, his schedule changes every one or two weeks. With varying workloads depending on the rotation, maintaining a consistent sleep and wake time is nearly impossible. To cope, Ramonfaur, 30, has adopted a method called sleep banking, which involves getting extra rest ahead of particularly demanding periods.

When he anticipates longer, more exhausting rotations but currently has lighter shifts, Ramonfaur tries to go to bed earlier to gain a little ground. He explained that prioritizing sleep even before exhaustion helps improve performance during shifts and reduces overall burnout. This approach is part of his broader strategy to maintain well-being during a demanding phase of his medical training, and he hopes it will prove useful during future cardiology training.

The Goal: Healthy Sleep

Busy, irregular schedules can disrupt the recommended sleep duration. Experts advise adults to sleep seven to nine hours per night and to maintain a consistent sleep-wake routine for optimal rest. But real-life demands often interfere with this ideal schedule, which is where sleep banking comes into play.

Also known as sleep extension in scientific studies, sleep banking is adopting a healthy sleep routine and ensuring enough rest to build resilience ahead of periods of sleep loss, explained Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a sleep scientist at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School assistant professor. She recommends it mainly for people whose work or responsibilities limit their sleep, including medical professionals and military personnel with critical duties. It may also benefit students before exams or workers expecting intense periods of activity.

Benefits of Sleep Banking

Dr. Yo-El Ju, a sleep physician at WashU Medicine, points out that needing an alarm to wake up often signals insufficient sleep. Many people have adapted to chronic sleep deprivation, but sleep banking allows them to repay sleep debt in advance. By sleeping more before a period of reduced rest, the body can handle upcoming demands better. Ju suggests beginning a week in advance for optimal results.

Maintaining consistent wake-up times supports circadian rhythms, while gradually going to bed earlier can increase overall sleep duration. Robbins recommends adjusting bedtime by 15 minutes earlier each night to add roughly an extra 90 minutes of sleep over a week.

Limits of Sleep Banking

While research shows sleep banking can enhance alertness and reaction time, it does not necessarily improve executive functions, such as multitasking or complex problem-solving. Ju warns it is unsuitable for individuals with insomnia, as lying awake longer in bed may worsen sleep issues.

Returning to Normal Sleep

For those with generally healthy sleep patterns, sleep banking can help navigate a temporary period of reduced rest. Once the challenging period is over, returning to a regular schedule is crucial. Ju recommends setting reminders to begin winding down before bedtime, reducing screen exposure, and preparing the body for sleep.

Proper planning and incremental adjustments to sleep can help people face busy schedules more effectively while supporting overall health and performance.

Author: Riley Thompson