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Long-term sleep deprivation has serious health risks — but they can be reversed, says expert
Good sleep is essential for good health, and long-term sleep deprivation negatively impacts both your mental and physical wellbeing. It can even make you lonely.
But bad sleep can be hard to avoid, so is it possible to reverse the effects of long-term sleep deprivation?
Sleep deprivation occurs when the amount of sleep you get is insufficient for your body's needs. Those with long-term sleep deprivation regularly sleep fewer than seven hours a night, over the course of weeks or months (or even years.)
For Sleep Awareness Week 2025 we spoke to Dr. Leah Kaylor — a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma — about the causes and health risks of long-term sleep deprivation, and if you can recover from lack of sleep.
What is long-term sleep deprivation?
Long-term sleep deprivation describes when a person regularly sleeps for less than seven hours a night, over the course of weeks, months, or potentially even years.
"Sleep deprivation occurs when you consistently get less sleep than your body needs to function at its best," explains Dr. Kaylor. The average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night, with sleep quality also an important metric in sleep health.
While short-term sleep deprivation is often a brief disruption to a consistent sleep schedule, long-term sleep deprivation might indicate an underlying cause that needs to be addressed.
Dr Leah Kaylor Ph.D. PLLC is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma, at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Dr. Kaylor completed her residency at the Memphis VA Medical Center, where she worked in the sleep clinic helping veterans with sleep hygiene, nightmares, insomnia, and CPAP adherence. Her upcoming book The Sleep Advantage explores sleep deprivation and sleep health.
Dr. Kaylor identifies a range of possible reasons for long-term sleep deprivation, including shift work, chronic stress, anxiety or depression, health conditions (e.g. pain, hormonal imbalances), and excessive caffeine use.
She also points out that long-term sleep deprivation can occur when you prioritize "personal or professional demands" at the expense of a good night's sleep.
What are the health risks of long-term sleep deprivation?
The impact of long-term sleep deprivation can be severe. "Denying someone sleep strips away their ability to think clearly, regulate emotions, and perceive reality accurately." Dr. Kaylor explains (and as she also notes, sleep deprivation has even been used as a torture technique.)
1. Mental and emotional impact
A poor night's sleep will leave many of us in a bad mood. This can be a reoccurring problem when experiencing long-term sleep deprivation.
"You’ll likely feel tired, sluggish, and mentally 'off,'" explains Dr. Kaylor. "Irritability can spike, making minor frustrations seem overwhelming."
Stress and anxiety are prominent causes of sleep deprivation, but this is a two-way street. "Anxiety often escalates [when lacking sleep]," says Dr. Kaylor, "making it harder to remain calm or grounded,"
And during severe sleep deprivation, the emotional and mental impact can intensify beyond irritability.
"You might begin to feel a sense of depersonalization, as if you’re disconnected from your body or surroundings," says Dr. Kaylor. She describes the feeling as "observing life through a haze."
2. Short-term physical impact
Dr. Kaylor identifies "reduced alertness, impaired decision-making, and slowed reaction times" as three consequences of sleep deprivation that can occur after just a few nights of disruption, intensifying the longer you go without sufficient rest.
"You may also notice an increased appetite, as your body craves quick energy to stay awake," says Dr. Kaylor. Poor sleep can contribute to weight gain, while frequent irregular sleep can increase your type 2 diabetes risk.
The more sleep deprivation sets in, the more likely your brain will start "taking sleep into its own hands" — as Dr. Kaylor explains.
"You might experience microsleeps — brief episodes of unconsciousness that last just a few seconds."
Not long enough to qualify a nap, these short sleeps pass so briefly you might not even realize they're happening. But they can be dangerous, especially if they occur while driving or operating machinery.
2. Long-term physical impact
Physical risks such as poor reaction times and a tendency to snack can appear after a handful of bad nights, but in the long-term, sleep deprivation has been linked to lasting physical damage.
Eventually, the fatigue of long-term sleep deprivation can make even simple tasks seem "insurmountable," according to Dr. Kaylor.
In addition, research has found an association between a lack of deep sleep and Alzheimer's disease, while poor sleep can also impact heart health.
Sleep is also closely linked to your immune system, which means sleep deprivation might be the reason you can never shake your cold.
4. Social impact
A 2018 study found a link between sleep loss and social withdrawal, while further research from 2022 explored how sleep deprivation can make us less likely to help others.
If you're experiencing mood swings and irritability, it's unlikely to come as a surprise that bad sleep can deteriorate your social interactions.
And as Dr. Kaylor describes, sleep is essential for "maintaining clarity, emotional balance, and a connection to reality."
And, of course, if you're always ready to drop off, you probably aren't interested in picking up invitations. You're more likely to choose going home and sleeping over socializing with loved ones.
Can the effects of long-term sleep deprivation be reversed?
The health risks of long-term sleep deprivation are concerning, particularly as the CDC reports that over one-quarter of adults are not achieving the recommended seven hours of sleep per night.
Once you’re able to get adequate sleep, your mind and body will begin to recover
But for the most part, the impact of sleep deprivation is reversible.
"The good news is that these symptoms aren’t permanent," explains Dr. Kaylor. "Once you’re able to get adequate sleep, your mind and body will begin to recover."
"However, recovery isn’t instantaneous," she adds. "Depending on how long you’ve been sleep-deprived, it can take several days — or even weeks — to fully restore your sleep patterns and feel like yourself again."
Here's how to go about it...
1. Start sleeping more (but not all at once)
"Prioritize recovery sleep," is Dr. Kaylor's number one suggestion for reversing long-term sleep deprivation. But she advises you should avoid "overcompensating."
In other words, don't sleep through the weekend to make up for a disrupted week.
"You can achieve this [recovery] by gradually extending sleep duration by 30-60 minutes per night instead of over-sleeping on weekends," advises Dr. Kaylor.
2. Re-set your body clock
Our circadian rhythms dictate when we feel sleepy and when we feel alert, but sleep deprivation can leave your body clock out of sync.
To regain consistent (and sufficient) sleep, Dr. Kaylor recommends resetting your internal clock.
Light exposure triggers a response in your circadian rhythm. Sunlight tells the body it's time to be awake, while low lights indicate it's time to go to sleep.
"Get morning sunlight exposure," Dr. Kaylor advises, "[and] avoid blue light exposure (screens, for example) 60-90 minutes before bed."
3. Develop a sleep schedule
Long-term sleep deprivation is characterized by frequently missing out on rest. One of the best ways to combat this is creating a sleep schedule — and sticking to it. "Even on weekends," notes Dr. Kaylor.
This consistency helps you avoid a phenomenon known as social jet lag. Imagine flying across time zones once a week. Due to the time changes, you'd probably miss out on a significant amount of sleep.
Your weekend late nights and lie ins can have a similar impact, because your body thinks it keeps moving forwards and backwards a few hours.
But some health risks of sleep deprivation can't be reversed
While Dr. Kaylor is largely positive about the potential for reversing the impact of sleep deprivation, she recognizes that some of the effects will be difficult to undo.
"What will be significantly harder to reverse: Prolonged heart disease risk from chronic high blood pressure. Significant metabolic changes (e.g., long-term weight gain, diabetes risk). Brain aging and Alzheimer’s-related damage may not fully recover."
There is research to suggest catching up on missed sleep can help lower the risk of heart disease, but if you're worried a lack of regular sleep might be damaging your wellbeing, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional.
In addition to the physical impact, poor decisions made due to a lack of sleep might also prove permanent.
"Staying awake for 24 hours affects you similarly to having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10%," explains Dr. Kaylor (the legal limit for driving in most places id 0.08%.)
"In other words, a full day without sleep can leave you functioning as if you were over the legal intoxication limit, dramatically increasing the risk of errors and accidents."
"It’s a stark reminder that sleep isn’t just a personal health matter; it’s a safety issue—for yourself and others"
How to avoid long-term sleep deprivation
Avoiding long-term sleep deprivation isn't necessarily easy, as many of the factors are outside our control (e.g. work pressures, health conditions, stress.) However, prioritizing sleep can help you achieve consistently better rest.
"Sleep is a non-negotiable for your health, and the longer it’s neglected, the steeper the path back to balance becomes," explains Dr. Kaylor. Here are her top tips for avoiding long-term sleep deprivation:
- Change your attitude around sleep: "It is not a luxury is it a necessity!"
- Organize your day to prioritize rest: "Schedule high-priority tasks earlier in the day so sleep isn’t sacrificed for productivity."
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine: "Set a sleep alarm about one hour before bed as a reminder to start winding down at the same time each night."
- Address any sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome): "Seek help for sleep disorders that may be causing the sleep deprivation. If you are unsure, there is no harm in consulting with a health care professional."
"The next time you think of pushing through another all-nighter or shrugging off sleep as a luxury, remember what happens when sleep is taken away," cautions Dr. Kaylor.
"Your body and mind need rest to survive and thrive — don’t take it for granted."
