And while many people know how many drinks they can handle, or when they are too drunk to drive, we tend to be very bad at gauging when we’re too tired. Even if you get enough sleep, other causes of unrestful sleep, due to medications or sleep apnea, can make us drowsy during the day. That means that even being aware of the problem of drowsy driving may not be enough to stop people from doing it.
Microsleep Can Be Dangerous
In fact, our body can purposely put is into what is known as “microsleep.” These are brief periods when our brains “shut off,” keeping us from being aware of what is going on around us. The eyes may close for seconds at a time, but even if the eyes don’t close, a sleep-deprived person may fail to respond to stimuli, or may “zone out” for long stretches.
Microsleep is most common not just when we’re tired, but when we’re doing something monotonous, like driving (especially for long stretches). You may not even be aware that your brain is going into microsleep, making the problem even more dangerous.