Not sleeping? You might as well be intoxicated.
25-01-2012
If you are having trouble sleeping then you know how it can affected you. Sleep deprivation has a long and incredibly concerning list of symptoms- starting with the relatively obvious, things like irritation and forgetfulness, and moving through to the downright worrying and scary, including problems like depression and hallucinations. Even one night without a proper sleep can ruin the entire following day and as the cumulative effects of sleep deprivation build up, the symptoms only get worse.
One recent study showed how dramatically sleep and performance were linked. The study found that after only seventeen hours awake, most subjects suffered a decrease in performance equivalent to a blood alcohol level of about 0.05%. In other words, if you have been awake for seventeen hours or more, you may as well be drunk. Your performance levels will be no better than someone who has had about four or five pints of beer.
The difference being that while someone who has had four or five pints or beer has had a good time in the process, someone who is sleep deprived has not had any fun in the process.
Next time you have been awake for longer than seventeen hours, you need to be wary of your actions as your performance is as good as someone who has had a number of beers.
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