Many of us have experienced bouts of forgetfulness at one point or another, but a sudden lack of recollection can be troubling and even dangerous. The same goes for trouble with vision/focus/perception. These symptoms, which mirror the effects of alcohol, are often caused by sleep deprivation.
A UCLA study found that sleep deprivation may actually disturb brain function, causing mental lapses and issues with visual perception.
“Researchers found that subjects’ brain cells fired less quickly as the patients grew more tired, putting particular emphasis on the slowed function of the temporal lobe, which controls memory and visual perception.”-Safety and Health Magazine
In addition to disturbing mental function, these symptoms could very well lead to serious injury or even death. There are daily tasks many of us undergo, such as driving. Wondering how dangerous drowsy driving actually is? You may be surprised to find that just one extra hour of sleep may significantly reduce your risk of being involved in a fatal crash. Read more about the dangers of drowsy driving here.
Before you injure yourself or someone else, consider re-arranging your day so that you have more time to get quality shut eye. If you or a loved one were injured due to a drowsy driver contact us today.