Poor Sleep ~ What Are The Consequences?

1. More Mistakes: Nearly a third of responders to one survey said that sleep deprivation reduced the quality and accuracy of their work.

2. Loss In Visual Comprehension: Neuroscience researchers found that a sleep-deprived brain has more difficulty in processing visual information than a rested one.

3. Judgment Is Adversely Affected: Sleep loss has a major impact on decision-making processes, especially those that require emotional and mental ability, based on the results of testing performed at Walter Reed Institute.

4. Impairment Comparable To Intoxication: A person who has been awake for more than 18 hours shows functional deficiencies equivalent to one with a blood alcohol concentration of .07, according to a sleep study. In every one of the United States, the legal standard for drunk driving is .08.

5. Increased Risk of Illness: In research conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, subjects who slept fewer than seven hours a night were nearly three times as likely to develop a cold or other respiratory symptoms when exposed to others who are sick, compared to a well-rested person

6. A Cost That Is Quantifiable: The effects of poor sleep may seem to be nothing more than a problem that we cope with successfully ~ but in truth it represents a real, measurable loss that affects all of us. Studies estimate that sleep-deprivation costs U.S. businesses nearly $150 billion a year in absenteeism and reduced productivity.