Tesco
The Sleep Debt Collector Is Here
Article

The Sleep Debt Collector Is Here

Recent studies in humans and mice have shown that late nights and early mornings may cause long lasting damage to your brain.

Oliver Whang
The New York Times, 2022
Read the article

Read or listen offline

  • 0.5×
  • 0.75×
  • 1×
  • 1.25×
  • 1.5×
  • 1.75×
1×

Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Scientific
  • Eye Opening

Recommendation

Have you ever told yourself “I’ll catch up on my sleep later,” while staying out late and cutting back on your sleep? New York Times reporter Oliver Whang lays out the conclusions of a new sleep research review. Neuroscientist Sigrid Veasey and researcher Zachary Zamore found consistently reducing sleep hours might cause long-term brain damage and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s. They debunk the myth that sleep debt is something you can pay off.

Take-Aways

  • Contrary to what scientists had assumed, you can’t go into sleep debt and repay it later.
  • Scientific evidence suggests getting too little sleep leads to long-lasting and possibly irreversible brain damage.
  • You can feel totally fine while your brain experiences neural damage due to lack of sleep.

About the Author

Oliver Whang is a reporting fellow for The New York Times.

Comment on this summary or 开始讨论