Sleep debt is real, but your weekend lie-in won’t clear it – here’s what it means and how to actually pay it back

Some people check the news or the football score in the morning – I check my Oura app. It’s not just the sleep score I pay attention to, though; there’s another number that needles me more than any sleep or readiness score ever does: Sleep Debt.

For Oura specifically, the Sleep Debt figure first appeared as a new Sleep Health Hub feature in December 2025 (clearly, no one at Oura wanted anyone to have any fun at the Christmas party). It is presented in hours and minutes, and it ticks up whenever I short-change myself on rest (though I am currently at 0 hours and 0 minutes, so pat on the back for me).

Other sleep trackers like EightSleep, Whoop…

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