Insomnia: Can It Be Fatal?

Most people have experienced insomnia at one time or another - college examination time or with a newborn in the house. For some people, however, insomnia and its effects are a constant presence. The effects of insomnia can be devastating to job performance and personal relationships. When the sleep-deprived person gets behind the wheel of a car that is when real danger appears. Falling asleep at the wheel is now recognized as a significant contributor to the more than three million auto accidents around the world each year.

Sleep is so important that even one night without proper sleep can cause more than twenty-five percent drop in the immune system's ability to fight sickness and disease. Fatigued workers and increased rates of auto accidents are just a few examples of the cause and effect of insomnia.

Between the dangers of operating a vehicle or other large equipment without having slept, it is a fact that your insomnia can in fact kill you. This is not meant to make you panic, but to encourage you to take a look at your current sleeping patterns so that you recognize that changes need to be made. Depriving your body of a good night of rest can significantly impair your mind and your body, and cause detrimental effects in the long run.

When you get behind the wheel of a car, you have to be alert, and ready to react to any situation that comes your way. A car is a powerful thing, and when you are operating a vehicle, you have to be in full control of what you are doing. If someone cuts you off, you have to immediately be ready to swerve or brake to avoid a collision. A pedestrian can cross in front of your car unexpectedly, and it is up to you to pay attention.

Driving a car takes your full and undivided attention. If you are ready to go somewhere, you should make sure that you are going to be able to fully commit in order to get to your destination safely. Driving on little sleep produces the same, if not more severe effects as driving while intoxicated. Your insomnia prevents your brain from being able to rest itself during the night and turn off to be able to be at peak performance the next day. When you go without sleep, your body is ready to take a nap during the day, and it could happen that it catches up with you while you are on the road. Studies have shown that those who are up from seventeen hours straight and beyond have the equivalent mental capacity to someone with a .05 blood alcohol level.

Doctors insist that part of a healthy lifestyle includes getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night for adults. This will drastically reduce the signs of aging, not to mention make you feel refreshed and renewed in the morning. Additionally, getting sleep helps to revitalize your immune system. If you are trying to stave off an infection or virus, you will be so much more likely to get rid of it sooner if you are getting proper rest. Insomniacs have a hard time battling diseases because their immunity has weakened.

So, be smart about things, and just do something simple like resting in your bed every night for eight hours.

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