"Sleep banking is essentially extending your normal sleep hours in the nights leading up to a known period of sleep deprivation. On the face of it, it appears unlikely banking sleep could counter the decreased alertness and other cognitive decrements that we experience when deprived of sleep, or stop that strong sensation we get when our body wants sleep."
"In 2009 an Army study compared people who got their regular hours of sleep for a week to a group that spent 10 hours in bed during those same nights. This was followed by 3 nights of only 3 hours of time in bed allowed for both groups. Surprisingly, the group that had 'banked' sleep, performed better on a measure of alertness during the sleep restricted time period and recovered faster from the sleep deprivation."
"A group who had 6 nights of extended sleep prior to 21 hours of total sleep deprivation, had improved sustained attention and decreased daytime sleepiness going into the deprivation period as well as during the sleep deprivation period, and recovered from the sleep debt more."
Fatigue management requires strategies beyond typical daily wakefulness challenges. While quick fixes like caffeine or movement help temporarily, individuals with demanding jobs requiring irregular sleep need tailored approaches. Sleep banking involves extending normal sleep hours before anticipated sleep deprivation. Though counterintuitive, research demonstrates its effectiveness. A 2009 Army study found that people who slept 10 hours nightly for a week, then restricted to 3 hours for 3 nights, maintained better alertness and recovered faster than those with regular sleep patterns. A 2015 study confirmed similar benefits: extended sleep prior to 21 hours of total deprivation improved sustained attention, reduced daytime sleepiness during deprivation, and accelerated recovery from sleep debt.
Read at Psychology Today
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