Sleeping Enough Isn’t LazinessDoctors Warn Against Sleep Shaming
- pradeep
- Jul 17
- 2 min read
Mocking people for sleeping longer, waking them unnecessarily or glorifying those who survive on very little rest may be damaging public health, medical experts have warned.
The behaviour is increasingly being described as “sleep shaming” the belief that waking up early always reflects discipline, while sleeping late or resting longer signals laziness. Doctors say this attitude ignores individual biological rhythms and can encourage chronic sleep deprivation. (The Indian Express)
Sleep Is a Biological Need
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Manan Vohra recently drew attention to the issue, arguing that many Indian households do not allow people to complete their sleep without interruption.
Sleep-medicine specialist Dr Neetu Jain said adequate rest should be treated as a biological necessity rather than a luxury. She noted that many homes and workplaces wrongly celebrate sleep deprivation as evidence of commitment or productivity. (The Indian Express)
Adults Generally Need Seven to Nine Hours
Most adults are advised to get around seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.
Regularly sleeping less can affect concentration, emotional control, decision-making and reaction time. Over the long term, insufficient sleep has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, weakened immunity, anxiety, depression and dementia. (The Indian Express)
Early Rising Does Not Automatically Mean Discipline
Experts say there is no scientific basis for assuming that people who wake up earlier are automatically more disciplined or productive.
People have different chronotypes, or natural sleep-wake patterns. Some function best early in the morning, while others are naturally more alert later in the day. Genetics, age, hormones and environmental factors can influence these patterns. (The Indian Express)
Adolescents and young adults, for example, are often biologically inclined towards later sleep schedules.
What matters more is whether a person gets sufficient, regular and restorative sleep that suits their natural rhythm.
Interrupting Sleep Can Affect the Brain
Sleep occurs in cycles, with different stages contributing to physical recovery, memory formation, learning, emotional processing and immune function.
Repeatedly waking someone before they complete these cycles can cause sleep inertia, leaving them groggy and mentally slow. Continued sleep disruption may also impair attention, creativity, memory, problem-solving and judgement. (The Indian Express)
Less Sleep Does Not Mean More Productivity
Doctors also challenge the belief that cutting sleep creates more working hours and therefore improves output.
Well-rested people are generally more alert, accurate and efficient. In contrast, people who are chronically sleep-deprived may become more irritable, emotionally reactive and prone to mistakes. (The Indian Express)
Experts recommend treating sleep with the same seriousness as healthy eating and regular exercise. Persistent insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring or frequent sleep disruption should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
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