What does “Schlafentzug” mean in German?

Schlafentzug breaks into two familiar pieces: Schlaf (sleep) and Entzug (withdrawal). German uses Entzug the same way for any deprivation — Drogenentzug (drug withdrawal), Alkoholentzug (alcohol withdrawal), Nikotinentzug (nicotine withdrawal). Once you recognise that Entzug means “the act of taking something away,” a whole cluster of medical and everyday compounds becomes instantly readable.

Helene Fischer names Schlafentzug directly in her SRF interview, calling it a big topic for her right now as a new mother — sleepless nights despite full tour preparations. The word sits at a useful intersection: familiar enough for B1 learners (everyone knows Schlaf), but the Entzug half is the real payoff. In everyday German, Entzug also appears alone: someone coming off drugs or alcohol is said to be im Entzug (“in withdrawal”), and kalter Entzug (“cold withdrawal”) is the German equivalent of going cold turkey.