For many physicians, sleep deprivation was once a symbol of resilience. During residency, I remember colleagues bragging about surviving a 28 hour On Call shift with 1 hour of sleep — or none at all. Even outside medicine, people still boast about functioning for four hours a night as proof of productivity.
The evidence now makes that mindset hard to defend. A large body of research links chronic sleep deprivation to metabolic syndrome, immune dysregulation, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease, and increased medical error.
Sleep loss is not simply fatigue — it is a measurable physiologic stressor with system-wide consequences.
Dr. Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and psychologist at UC Berkeley, has helped translate sleep science into practical strategies. His work highlights a common reality: Many adults are under-slept, and nearly everyone struggles at times with sleep initiation or maintenance. He emphasizes three foundational habits to improve sleep quality:
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Digital detox one hour before bed
Turn off devices. Screens stimulate cortical activity and physiologic arousal, delaying the brain’s transition toward sleep and disrupting circadian signaling.
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule — seven days a weekThe brain thrives on rhythm. Regular bedtimes and wake times stabilize circadian architecture and improve sleep efficiency. Weekend variability fragments this rhythm.
- Reduce light exposure in the final hour before sleepArtificial light suppresses melatonin release and delays nighttime physiology. Turn off as many household lights 1 hour before bedtime in order to signal the nervous system that it is time to wind down.
For physicians who stay up for On Call shifts, there is an additional evidence-based strategy: sleep banking. Extending sleep in the days before anticipated deprivation can partially buffer cognitive decline. If your baseline is eight hours, aim for nine hours for several nights before your shift. This strategy has been shown to reduce impairment during the shift.
Protecting sleep is not indulgence — it is professional maintenance. A profession dedicated to preserving health should not normalize habits that undermine it. The new badge of honour should be how intentionally we protect our sleep.
Sleep well.