Just like everything else, the pandemic has changed the way we sleep. With most workers staying remote, it means that you now can work day and night depending on your desires. It also means you can lose serious rest if you don’t take some time away from work and find a workable balance.
While having a work/life balance is important, many people are not able to mentally get away from their jobs due to the ever-changing world we live in. This lack of sleep or rest is making zombies out of most people and impacting their quality of life.
It only takes one day to experience the side effects of lack of sleep, and the consequences of it can be deadly if you are not careful.
“My work schedule changes and I find myself struggling to stay awake when I drive sometimes,” Carlos, from Old Brooklyn, said. “If I find myself getting sleepy, I will pull over in a rest area and get rest before I drive half-asleep.”
Carlos is not alone. Many Americans are feeling the stress of inflation, being overworked, and having to pay more while making less income. If you throw in the random gun violence and our current political climate, people are feeling overwhelmed, and our quality of sleep and way of life are under assault.
Lack of sleep impacts us all differently. Depending on your line of work, lack of sleep can be life-threatening. Anyone who drives for a living needs to pay special attention to getting the proper amount of sleep.
Andre, from Cleveland, said, “I have been driving for Amazon for the last two years and I can admit that the night runs have me feeling like a zombie during the day. If I drive for multiple nights, it takes a toll on my body and mind.”
Multiple nights with little to no sleep only increases the dangers associated with not getting the proper amount of rest.
Here is how the body tends to respond when you stay awake:
1 Day
Staying awake for 24 hours can affect you in much the same way as intoxication.
Research from 2010 suggests that staying up for 20 to 25 hours affects your focus and performance as much as having a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.10 percent. In most places, you are legally drunk when you have a BAC of 0.08 percent.
You are going to want to avoid driving or doing something potentially unsafe if you have been up for a full day and night.
A sleepless night can have other effects, too.
You might notice things like:
- daytime sleepiness
- fogginess
- changes in mood, like crankiness or a shorter temper than usual
- difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- tremors, shakiness, or tense muscles
- trouble seeing or hearing
“I work third shift, so I understand the need to get the right amount of sleep,” Tina, from Canton, said. “It takes my body about five days to adjust to a new schedule if it changes. If I don’t get good rest, then it impacts my ability to do my job.”
2 Days
When you go without sleep for 48 hours, things start to get miserable. You may drift through the day, feeling foggy or completely out of touch with what is happening.
The general effects of sleep deprivation usually worsen. You might find it even more difficult to concentrate or remember things. You may also notice increases in irritability or moodiness.
The effects of sleeplessness on your immune system also intensify after two days. This can increase your chances of getting sick since your immune system can’t fight off illness as well as it usually would.
Staying awake also becomes challenging.
After two full days without sleep, people often begin experiencing what is known as microsleep. A microsleep happens when you lose consciousness briefly, anywhere from a few seconds to half a minute. You don’t realize what’s happening until you come to, but you will be reawakened with some confusion and grogginess.
“I know that I need sleep if I’m falling asleep at red lights,” Charles, from Bedford, explained. “Because I drive an hour to work, then work ten hours, and then drive an hour home, I know that if I’m too tired, I will sleep in the car before I start my drive.
3 Days
If you have gone three days without sleep, things are about to get weird.
Chances are, you won’t be able to think about much besides sleep. You will find it difficult to focus on conversations, your work, and even your own thoughts. Even simple activities, like getting up to look for something, might seem too difficult to contemplate.
Along with this extreme exhaustion, you might notice your heart is beating much more rapidly than usual.
You will also notice changes in mood or problems with emotional regulation. It’s common to experience feelings of depression, anxiety, or paranoia after going without sleep for a few days.
Going without sleep for this length of time can also affect your perception of reality, which can:
- cause delusional thinking and hallucinations
- make you believe inaccurate information is true
- trigger what is called the “hat phenomenon,” which happens when you feel pressure around your head
There are no quick answers for those who suffer from poor sleep. Getting as much rest as possible might mean a change in career, creating better sleep habits, or altering your lifestyle. However, you attack the problem could mean the difference in causing an accident while driving or putting other people in danger while working.
The bottom line: investigate your options to get more rest and quality sleep. Your life and those you love to depend on it.
