This is the stuff that nightmares are made of - about 4 percent of adults in the U.S. have admitted to trysts with sleep while driving!
In a large study carried out between 2009-10 on 147000 individuals from 19 states by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 24 U.S. adults revealed that they have had an encounter with sleep while driving, sometime recently. They have admitted to either nodding off or falling asleep at least once while driving during the previous month. Some earlier studies too have reported similar finding.
About Sleep Disorder
Sleep disorders can either be having difficulty in getting sleep or dozing off at inappropriate time.
Sleep disorders can either be having difficulty in getting sleep or dozing off at inappropriate time.
The CDC reported that drowsiness while driving was commonly observed in people between the ages of 25 to 34, and especially in those who slept less than six hours per day on an average. The other interesting fact is that this phenomenon was commonly observed in men, particularly Texans.
Anne Wheaton of CDC said this observation in the study could be due to the inclusion of larger number of sleep-deprived adults or overweight individuals with sleep apnea.
Quiz on Sleep Disorder
The comfort of modern life comes at the cost of restful sleep! "Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone-Anthony Burgess" Scientifically it is proven that a good night's sleep is imperative for maintaining a balance between the physical, emotional and behavioral well-being of a person.
The comfort of modern life comes at the cost of restful sleep! "Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone-Anthony Burgess" Scientifically it is proven that a good night's sleep is imperative for maintaining a balance between the physical, emotional and behavioral well-being of a person.
Drivers must heed the warning signs of sleepiness when they experience it. The signs include -
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Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Measure your daytime sleepiness using this simple interactive tool, based on Epworth Sleepiness disorder Scale. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness is a type of hypersomnia characterized by persistent sleepiness and lack of energy.
Measure your daytime sleepiness using this simple interactive tool, based on Epworth Sleepiness disorder Scale. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness is a type of hypersomnia characterized by persistent sleepiness and lack of energy.
• failing to remember the last mile or two, or
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Sleeping Disorders
How many times have you stayed awake in the dead of the night counting sheep? If it is fairly often then you could be suffering from a sleep disorder!
How many times have you stayed awake in the dead of the night counting sheep? If it is fairly often then you could be suffering from a sleep disorder!
When this happens the drivers must pull off the road and rest for a while. Every driver should remember that at 60 mph even a single second means speeding along 88 feet which is almost the length of two school buses. Therefore even a micro moment of drowsiness could be fatal.
It might be a good idea to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night especially for those who are frequently behind the wheels. Other factors that must be considered is avoiding consuming alcohol before driving and seeking treatment for sleep disorders, if any!
Prevention is not just better than cure - it is life saving!
Source-Medindia
