Along with exercise, sleep is one of the first things we sacrifice when our busy schedules take control of our lives. Although it seems reasonable to make it up on the weekends, it’s harder than it looks. There are some real troubles that stem from sleep deprivation. Here are some points to consider:

Even one hour per night less sleep can have a big impact on your health and performance. Sleep studies have shown that seven or fewer hours of sleep per night on a regular basis inhibits performance ability — Skimp on sleep and you can experience the same negative effects as a hangover. Even a few hours less than the recommended eight is linked to memory lapses and weight gain.

Sleeping an extra hour or so on the weekends doesn’t make up for a whole week of sleep deprivation. If you are down nine hours of sufficient sleep during the week, you’ll need at least three hours of extra sleep on the weekend to regain your normal levels of alertness, ability to pay attention, and your good spirits. One exception to this formula is for people who suffer from insomnia. If you have regular problems sleeping, try to keep your sleep/wake schedule as consistent as possible. Avoid distressing subjects before bedtime. Stay calm and peaceful before you turn in. Try to fit exercise in before the evening because the after-effects of vigorous exercise can keep sleep at bay.

There’s more to sleep deprivation than just performance problems. If you regularly get six hours or less of sleep per night on a regular basis, you risk increased levels of proteins that are associated with heart disease and other chronic health problems. The damage is cumulative.

What if you are sleep deprived due to your partner’s chronic snoring? Not only do you suffer from sleep deprivation, your partner is missing vital, deep sleep as well. Chronic snorers don’t get the same quality of sleep as non-snorers. The ongoing lack of quality sleep can actually shorten the snorer’s life (that is, if you don’t kill the snorer first!) A sleep deprivation clinic can suggest methods to help both partners move past a severe snoring problem.

A good way to fit more sleep into your life is to set a bedtime and stick to it. Ask yourself if the activity you are trying to fit in instead of sleeping is something that can wait till tomorrow. What seems like such a vital task can be renegotiated when you consider the health and performance risks that accompany the decision to skimp on sleep.