Medical residents, military personnel and professionals with demanding schedules are turning to a method known as “sleep banking” to cope with sustained periods of sleep deprivation. The practice, also called sleep extension, involves getting extra rest before an anticipated stretch of long shifts or reduced sleep. A growing number of sleep scientists now recognise it as a valuable short-term tool for protecting performance and mental well-being.
A resident doctor’s struggle with shifting schedules
Dr Diego Ramonfaur, a 30-year-old internal medicine resident at the Cleveland Clinic, is frequently sleep-deprived due to weekly or biweekly schedule changes. With rotations varying in intensity, maintaining a regular sleep pattern is nearly impossible.
To manage burnout and preserve performance, he turns to sleep banking. “Investing in sleep, even before I am tired, has been very rewarding,” he said. He views the practice as essential preparation for his future cardiology training, which will bring even more demanding hours.
What sleep banking means — and what it doesn’t
Sleep banking is not about storing sleep indefinitely. Instead, it involves increasing sleep duration in the days or weeks leading up to expected deprivation. Dr Rebecca Robbins, a sleep scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, describes it as building resilience before a period of insufficient sleep.
She notes that the strategy is particularly helpful for those with unavoidable constraints, such as doctors, military members, shift workers, students before exams and professionals heading into intense work cycles.
Dr Yo-El Ju, a sleep physician scientist at Washington University School of Medicine, clarified: “You can’t really bank sleep, but you can pay off the debt.” Sleeping more in advance can lessen the impact of future shortfalls, especially when done consistently for at least a week.
How to use sleep banking effectively
Experts recommend going to bed earlier while maintaining the same wake-up time, which supports healthy circadian rhythms. Robbins suggests gradually shifting bedtime earlier by 15 minutes each night, adding up to 90 extra minutes of sleep over a week.
Sleep banking, however, is not suitable for people with insomnia, as prolonged time in bed without sleeping can worsen symptoms. Nor can it compensate for complex executive-function tasks when severely sleep-deprived, such as multitasking behind the wheel.
Returning to routine remains essential
Both Robbins and Ju emphasise that sleep banking is a temporary measure. Once a demanding period passes, individuals should revert to regular, consistent sleep schedules. Setting a “sleep alarm” to signal winding down—dimming lights, switching off screens—can help reinforce healthy habits.