Sleep Deprivation Is The Same As Being Drunk, Study Says

Americas, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Life Style | Psychology

22/02/2021

139

How to Prevent Drowsy Driving

Sleep deprivation, also known as sleep insufficiency or sleeplessness, is the condition of not having adequate duration and/or quality of sleep to support decent alertness, performance, and health. It can be either chronic or acute and may vary widely in severity.

There are four things you should do before taking the wheel to prevent driving while drowsy.

Get enough sleep! Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep a day, while adolescents need at least 8 hours.
Develop good sleeping habits such as sticking to a sleep schedule.
If you have a sleep disorder or have symptoms of a sleep disorder such as snoring or feeling sleepy during the day, talk to your physician about treatment options.
Avoid drinking alcohol or taking medications that make you sleepy. Be sure to check the label on any medications or talk to your pharmacist.

Drowsy Driving Is Similar to Drunk Driving

Your body needs adequate sleep on a daily basis. The more hours of sleep you miss, the harder it is for you to think and perform as well as you would like. Lack of sleep can make you less alert and affect your coordination, judgement, and reaction time while driving. This is known as cognitive impairment.

Studies have shown that going too long without sleep can impair your ability to drive the same way as drinking too much alcohol.

Being awake for at least 18 hours is the same as someone having a blood content (BAC) of 0.05%.^10-12
Being awake for at least 24 hours is equal to having a blood alcohol content of 0.10%. This is higher than the legal limit (0.08% BAC) in Sri Lanka.^12-13

Additionally, drowsiness increases the effect of even low amounts of alcohol.

80 mg is 0.08 grams. 0.08 grams of alcohol in 100 ml is 0.08% This can also be expressed as 80 mg/dL or a BAC of 0.08.

FATAL ACCIDENT: | Daily News

Lack of sleep can make you less alert and affect your coordination, judgement, and reaction time while driving. This is known as cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that going too long without sleep can impair your ability to drive the same way as drinking too much alcohol..

Who Is More Likely to Drive Drowsy?

Drivers who do not get enough sleep.
Commercial drivers who operate vehicles such as tow trucks, tractor trailers, and buses.
Shift workers (work the night shift or long shifts).
Drivers with untreated sleep disorders such as one where breathing repeatedly stops and starts (sleep apnea).
Drivers who use medications that make them sleepy.