Could not sleeping be as bad as drinking and driving?
A lot of emphasis has been placed on NOT drinking and driving, with campaigns like the “Designated Driver” finding a fair measure of success. However, alcohol isn’t the only thing that can impair your judgment when you drive, but it turns out that not getting enough sleep can be nearly as bad as drinking and driving.
Lack of Sleep is WORSE than Alcohol?
In recent studies done on the effects of lack of sleep, it was discovered that not sleeping enough is actually ‘worse than alcohol’.
The studies involved people who had been awake for anywhere from 17 to 19 hours–an extra long day, but nothing too excessive. The participants were tested for their reaction time, and surprisingly, those with moderate sleep deprivation had a response time 50% slower than normal. Some participants were given alcohol in varying doses, but NONE of them exhibited the same effects as those who were lacking sleep.
For the average person, it’s uncommon to go without sleep for more than 17 to 19 hours. With a 9 to 5 job, your schedule can be fairly consistent. However, for shift workers, those 17 to 19 hours of being awake is a fairly common thing. They are the ones who are most likely to become impaired thanks to the lack of sleep, increasing the risk of serious accidents much more than drinking alcohol would.
According to the study, 17 hours of being awake is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of 0.05. For most of Europe and many countries around the world, a blood alcohol level of 0.05% is already above the legal limit. In the U.S., the legal limit is 0.08% for drivers over the age of 21, but those driving commercial vehicles can only have a BAC of 0.04%. That means that sleep deprivation is actually worse than their drinking and driving within legal limits.
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Here are some interesting facts about the negative consequences of sleep deprivation:
- A study found that the average person sleep 6.7 hours on weekdays, and 7.4 hours during the weekend.
- Accidents caused by sleep deprivation have an economic impact of up to $56 billion per year.
- Motor vehicle accidents related to sleep deprivation have the same injury severity level and fatality rate as alcohol-related incidents.
- It’s estimated that up to 20% of adults suffer from sleep deprivation.
- Single adults with a stable job tend to have trouble falling asleep at night.
How can you prevent accidents? Aside from not drinking alcohol, the best way to do so is to get a good night’s sleep.
First off, cut out anything that would keep you awake at night. We’re talking nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol (before bed, it can raise your blood pressure and stop you from sleeping properly). Anything that could keep you awake, avoid it for at least 3 or 4 hours before it’s time to hit the sack!
Turn your bedroom into a dark room, and increase the quality of your sleep drastically! Lights and sounds are both stimuli, which will keep you awake at night or interrupt your sleep. The darker and quieter the room, the better.
Use a fan or the AC to keep your room nice and cool, as well as to drown out background sounds. Don’t watch your clock or stress about not falling asleep, but just relax and let your body drift off as it can. Keep your evening activities relaxing, and avoid stimulation (other than sex) in the evenings. Only go to bed when your body tells you that you are tired, and exercise every day to ensure that you actually can sleep at night!
