Losing an hour of sleep takes 4 days to recover: Hyderabad neurologist claims in viral post

Dr Sudhir Kumar also highlighted the severe consequences of inadequate rest.

A neurologist's post about the critical importance of sleep has gone viral on X, sparking widespread discussion. Dr Sudhir Kumar from Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad shared a compelling message: losing just one hour of sleep can take days to recover from, emphasizing the significant impact of sleep deprivation on overall health.

"If you lose just one hour of sleep, it could take four days to recover from that," Dr Kumar posted, highlighting the severe consequences of inadequate rest, including headaches, poor focus, increased irritability, and impaired decision-making.

If you lose just one hour of sleep, it could take 4 days to recover from that.

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

Sleep deprivation can cause various symptoms, such as headache, poor focus and attention, increased irritability, poor judgement, poor decision making and increased sleepiness. #sleep #HealthyHabits

— Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (@hyderabaddoctor) May 21, 2024

Posted only a day ago, the message has garnered over 32,000 views and nearly 400 likes, prompting a flood of varied responses from the online community.

One user asked, "How many hours of sleep does a person need, age-wise? And how can we manage youngsters working alternate night shifts or afternoon shifts?" Dr Kumar responded with a detailed breakdown:

Newborns (up to 3 months): 14-17 hours
Infants (4 to 12 months): 12-16 hours, including naps
Young children (1 to 5 years): 10-14 hours, including naps
School-aged children (6 to 12 years): 9-12 hours
Teenagers (13 to 18 years): 8-10 hours
Adults (18 years and up): 7-9 hours

Another user inquired, "Can the shortfall in sleep be compensated by sleeping during the day?" Dr Kumar affirmed, "Absolutely. Sleeping 7-9 hours at night is ideal. However, if that's not possible, compensating with daytime sleep is the next best option."

One user shared, "I lose several hours of sleep every day despite following all the rules! Maybe at 81, I don't need more than 5 hours of sleep despite staying active!"

Another simply added, "Sleep is very underrated, on its impact on overall health. In today’s times - sleep is more vital then ever - due to high stress levels & poor lifestyle habits."

Dr Kumar's post has clearly struck a chord, shedding light on the crucial need for proper sleep and its profound impact on our well-being.