When someone regularly spends more money than they bring in, they end up in debt. The same goes for people who regularly sleep fewer hours than their body requires. “Sleep debt” is an actual phenomenon according to some experts and studies have shown that those who consistently get less than their ideal amount of sleep, actually perform increasingly poorly on tests of motor skills and problem solving the longer their sleep debt goes on.

Each individual has a “set point” of sleeping hours their bodies and minds need. Sadly, unlike money, you can’t save up sleep for use later on. So, the theory goes, if you stay up just one hour later than usual five nights in a row, you will be five hours in debt by the weekend. The only way to make up for a sleep deficit is to sleep, so you may find yourself napping and sleeping later than usual on your days off.

How do you know you’re in sleep debt? Drowsiness is a sure sign, but it can also be very dangerous. In the U.S. alone, drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and more than 1,500 deaths according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

As always, the best way to stay out of debt – whether you’re talking about money or sleep – is to live within your means.

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3. USA TODAY Reports Drowsy Drivers are a Serious Threat