The beginning of a new year can wipe the slate clean for new life and work goals. But if your holidays were hectic, you might not be starting at zero when it comes to your sleep. Missing out on even small chunks of sleep for a few nights can snowball into sleep debt that you could be lugging into 2026. While you probably can’t snooze enough to eliminate that deficit, you can take steps to support the parts of your body that bear the biggest burden.
Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable or brain-foggy or catching seemingly every virus. But other effects can be less noticeable. For instance, the impact on your cardiovascular system, which builds with time. “Sleep debt…