British GQ
How to catch up on sleep the right way, according to experts
xCruzo Brief
Sleep debt, experts say, isn’t just feeling tired—it’s a measurable biological backlog that affects cognition and multiple hormone and metabolic systems. In the piece, Harvard’s Eric Zhou explains that adults typically need 7–9 hours per night, with “sleep pressure” driven by adenosine that builds up while you’re awake and is cleared during sleep. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse of UPMC adds that unpaid sleep debt can disrupt processes including blood sugar regulation, thyroid function, cortisol and testosterone. A 2020 Biomed Research International review is cited linking prolonged sleep loss to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
xCruzo quick-read summary • Source: British GQ • Read the full article for complete information.






