Did you know that sleep-deprived driving (commonly known as tired driving, drowsy driving, or fatigued driving) is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep? Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as alcohol can.
In the United States, 250,000 drivers fall asleep at the wheel every day, according to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In a national poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 54% of adult drivers said they had driven while drowsy during the past year, with 28% saying they had actually fallen asleep while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving is a factor in more than 100,000 crashes, resulting in 1,550 deaths and 40,000 injuries annually in the USA. Added up, this number of deaths would be the equivalent of several fully loaded airplanes crashing every year.
When a person does not get an adequate amount of sleep, his or her ability to function is affected. Their coordination is impaired, they have longer reaction time, impaired judgment, and memory.
It's worth getting help to analyze how you can improve your sleep, and a new sleep system or pillow might help to address any heat or pain issues that prevent you from getting a good night's sleep.
