The Importance of Sufficient Sleep

Sleep is something many people look forward to every day. After a long day what’s better than laying down and just resting? Aside from being an enjoyable pass time, sleep is actually crucial for human biological function. Unfortunately, several people do not get the adequate amount of sleep they are required whether it is due to work, studying, or just having other priorities.

In the Science Daily, the article, “Chronic Lack of Sleep Increases Risk-Seeking,” describes a study done by researchers at the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich where the impact of sleep loss was analyzed. These researchers conducted a study with 14 males ages 18-28. The participants were separated into two groups. One group slept 8 hours a night for a week while the other slept 5 hours a night for a week. Two times a day, both groups were asked to choose between a risky decision and a safe decision. The risky decision was to obtain a larger amount of money but with a given probability while the safe decision was to be guaranteed a lower amount of money. The results showed that those individuals that only slept 5 hours a night were making more risky decisions compared to those that slept 8 hours. The participants were then asked to reflect on their own decisions. The participants said that their decision making when they lack sleep is the same as when they have sufficient sleep.  So one does not even notice that he or she is taking riskier decisions. Researchers have also proved that lack of sleep affects the right prefrontal cortex. When one does not get sufficient sleep, the right prefrontal cortex does not recover properly which leads to riskier behavior. This is why it is very important for people to get the adequate amount of sleep. Risk-taking is not the only thing that is lead to by sleep loss. There are several other negative effects that may even be life threatening.

During a neuroscience seminar at Loyola University Chicago, Gail Baura gave a presentation on “Continuous Drowsiness Monitoring.” She spoke about several situations where drowsiness affects performance and different ways to monitor it. Baura referred to an article we had read called “The Sleep of Long-Haul Truck Drivers.” In this paper the sleep pattern of truck drivers was analyzed. Truck drivers normally work shifts at times when they would normally be sleeping. Not only do they work very late and early, but they also work very long hours. Baura mentioned that in 2009 about 13% of crashes were due to driver fatigue. This number continues to rise. Medical workers can average about 80 hours a week. It was also mentioned that studies from the Mayo Clinic showed that about 39% of medical workers reported making at least 1 major error during a certain period. This is an alarming percentage especially when people’s lives may be at stake. Gail Baura also described several different ways that researchers are trying to monitor drowsiness. She described a Psychomotor Vigilance Test, which records responses to an appearance on a screen. When one is sleep deprived, one’s reaction time slows down. This is dangerous especially for tuck drivers that may have to respond quickly due to other drivers or hazards. Another attempt to decrease drowsiness was PERCLOS. This monitor used infrared waves to detect when driver’s eyes closed for longer periods of time. Baura also mentioned how using EEG is a very accurate way of monitoring sleep but unfortunately it is difficult to do. There are several different ways to monitor drowsiness but researchers are still trying to find one that is convenient and efficient.

The article “Chronic Lack of Sleep Increases Risk-Seeking” and Gail Baura’s presentation both highlighted the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation. As it can be concluded from both, lack of sleep can lead to making risky decisions and also making major errors during important tasks. Drowsiness is also increased which can be extremely dangerous for drivers and lead to accidents. Tired drivers may even take more risks while driving which can also lead to mishaps. Unfortunately there is not a perfect way to monitor drowsiness and reduce its effects, but luckily researchers are still working towards finding a solution. It is also important for individuals to realize the impact of sleep loss and attempt to get the adequate amount of sleep every night.

Works Cited

Baura, Gail. (2017). Speech presented at Neuroscience Seminar, Loyola University Chicago.

Mitler, Merrikk M., James C. Miller, Jeffrey J. Lipsitz, James K. Walsh, and C. Dennis Wylie. “The Sleep of Long-Haul Truck Drivers.” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 337, no. 11, 1997. Web.

University of Zurich. "Chronic lack of sleep increases risk-seeking." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 August 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170828102725.htm>.