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Sleep Debt Accrual

Meaning

Sleep Debt Accrual is the cumulative physiological deficit in the amount of restorative sleep obtained relative to the total physiological requirement necessary for optimal health, metabolic function, and sustained cognitive performance. This continuous accrual is a critical metric in chronobiology and hormonal health, as chronic insufficient sleep directly and negatively impacts glucose metabolism, significantly elevates baseline cortisol levels, and profoundly suppresses the essential nocturnal growth hormone release. Persistent sleep debt is recognized as a major physiological stressor with widespread, detrimental systemic endocrine consequences.