Transparent calculator · Sleep 1.0
7-Day Sleep Shortfall Planner
Summarise seven nights against a chosen target and view shortfall, extra hours and trend separately.
Purpose
What this tool is for
Use this as a simple sleep-log summary, not as a biological “debt repayment” calculator.
Audience
Who it is for
Adults who want to review a week of sleep opportunity and identify a practical routine change.
Input glossary
What each field means
| Input | Unit or choice | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Target | hours/night | Your planning reference; most adults are advised to sleep at least seven hours regularly. |
| Seven nights | hours | Used to calculate an average, shortfall and recent direction. |
| Severe sleepiness | yes/no | Adds an urgent do-not-drive message; it does not triage symptoms. |
Method · Sleep 1.0
The formula or decision logic
Nightly shortfall = max(0, target − slept). Longer nights are reported separately and never subtracted from the shortfall.
Average = sum of seven nights ÷ 7.
Trend compares the mean of nights 5–7 with nights 1–3. A difference within ±0.25 hour is labelled roughly steady; that band is a Nutrinaut display heuristic.
References support the method or context; they do not validate an individual result. See the sources.
Worked example
Example, not a diagnosis: Morgan’s seven nights
- Target: 8 hours. Logged nights: 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 7.5, 8 and 8 hours.
- Average: 50.5 ÷ 7 = 7.21 hours. Total shortfall: 2 + 1.5 + 1 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 5.5 hours.
- Mean nights 5–7 minus mean nights 1–3 = 7.83 − 6.5 = +1.33 hours.
Interactive calculator
Summarise seven nights
Nothing you enter is sent to our server. Calculation happens in this browser.
Limitations
What the result cannot tell you
- Consumer estimates of sleep time can be inaccurate.
- Extra sleep does not erase prior shortfall hour-for-hour.
- A trend does not prove recovery, readiness or safe alertness.
- Sleep-hygiene suggestions are not treatment for chronic insomnia.
Questions specific to this tool
Frequently asked questions
Is “sleep debt” a real bank balance?
No. The tool uses descriptive arithmetic. Biology does not repay an exact number of lost hours one-for-one.
What target should I choose?
At least seven hours is the adult consensus floor, while individual need varies. A clinician can help when sleep is persistently unrefreshing.
Can I catch up at the weekend?
Longer sleep may help how you feel, but it should not be treated as guaranteed reversal of every effect of insufficient sleep.
Does an upward trend mean I am recovered?
No. It only means the final three logged nights averaged longer than the first three.
When should I seek help?
Persistent insomnia, severe daytime sleepiness, loud snoring or gasping, or drowsiness that affects safety warrant professional assessment.
Primary and official references
Sources
Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult
American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society · 2015
Supports: Adult sleep-duration consensusSleep and heart-healthy living
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · Current
Supports: Adult 7–9-hour public guidanceFound a numerical or source issue? Send a correction with the page URL.