Catastrophic lack of sleep
Lack of sleep increases the risk of man-made disaster by 15 times
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
Experts summed up the results of the largest study and proved the practical harm from lack of sleep for a person and others. Almost a quarter of people who do heavy physical work fall asleep at their workplaces. Sedentary employees are also at risk.
Scientists at the University of Michigan (USA) have completed the largest experimental study on the effect of sleep on people's life. The results are disappointing: lack of sleep is the main cause of human error, according to the university's website (Sleep research uncovers dire consequences to deprivation).
"Inadequate sleep is the main risk factor for accidents in public transport, during medical surgery and even at operating nuclear power plants.
Unfortunately, many employees of socially significant professions still do not get enough sleep, which leads to severe consequences," says researcher Kimberly Fenn.
Chernobyl, the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska, the Challenger shuttle disaster, as well as a number of railway and plane crashes were partially provoked by employees who were deprived of proper sleep and rest, Fenn claims.
Studies by American scientists are not like many previous ones regarding the role of sleep. The team assessed the impact of duration and lack of sleep on the quality of tasks.
234 participants of the experiment performed a certain set of sequential tasks in the evening until midnight. Then one group was sent home, and the second continued working throughout the night. In the morning, both teams went through a series of tasks again.
The results of the study revealed a sharp jump in errors in people deprived of sleep: 15% versus 1% for those who had a good night's sleep.
In addition, in addition to the increased number of errors, lack of sleep in people increased the impact of memory disorders on the performance of tasks. They experienced many difficulties when it was necessary to perform a sequence of actions.
Scientists see an additional danger in increased information "noise" – distractions in the form of text messages and notifications are especially risky for those who do not sleep.
Researchers urge to treat night rest more consciously and not ignore the body's signals. Full sleep significantly reduces the risk of accidents at home and in the workplace.
Earlier research by scientists from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) it has been proven that sleep lasting less than or more than seven hours causes the heart to age faster. The results confirm the principle of the "golden mean", which should be taken into account when planning the daily routine.
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