A good dream greatly influences the quality of our rest of each night, in addition to benefiting the health of our brain. But when we haven’t slept enough, it can bring us serious consequences, especially if we drive a car after not sleeping a wink for several hours.
A study carried out by a team of researchers from the Appleton Institute of Behavioral Sciences and the University of Queensland revealed that driving a car after having slept just 5 hours is practically the same as if the person did it while intoxicated.
After having made and reviewed a total of 61 reports related to the time of dream and rest suggested by doctors, the scholars found that sleeping 5 hours or less increased the risk of having a car accident.
Driving on little sleep is like driving drunk
One of the most notable data from the study is the percentage of road accidents that occur or are influenced by the lack of dream.
In the report the scientists concluded that, in Australia alone, 20% of car accidents are linked to driver fatigue or exhaustion; while alcohol consumption is a factor that has reduced its influence in recent years.
After reading this evidence, you may be wondering how long a driver should sleep before taking the wheel. According to Dr. Virginia Mancebo Sosa, from the Sleep Disorders Clinic of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), she recommends that the sleep time dream uninterrupted is 8 hours, and preferably overnight.
It also points out that, from sleeping less, the person may experience drowsiness, fatigue, alterations in their reaction time and alertness, as well as in their attention and judgment, factors associated with road accidents that can have fatal consequences.
Although the institute’s specialists point out that sleeping 5 hours could be counterproductive for a person who is going to drive, the UNAM academic affirms that if the driver cannot sleep 8 hours, they should do so for a period of 5 to 6 continuous hours, taking care that the space where you are going to sleep is quiet, without lighting that alters it, as well as in a suitable bed and at a suitable temperature so that it is a dream repairman.
sleep, rest, drive, danger, health