DRIVER FATIGUE – DID YOU KNOW:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conservatively estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year.

This results in…

• Over 1,500 deaths
• Over 70,000 injuries
• Over $12 BILLION in monetary losses

So let’s talk about sleep.

(It could be life or death!)

We know that the recommended amount of sleep is eight hours per night, but most adults are squeezing by on only five or six!

A good night’s sleep is necessary for a healthy lifestyle-from your emotional well-being to your productivity at work to your ability to drive a car without causing an accident! Let’s take a quick look at how sleep affects the body:

THE GOOD

A good night of sleep improves…

• Healthy brain function
• Emotional well-being
• Your ability to learn
• Your physical health (it repairs your heart and blood vessels)
• Your healthy hormones, like the ones that tell you whether you’re hungry and full, and the ones that promote growth
• Your reaction to insulin
• Your immune system
• Your productivity at work or school
• Your muscle mass

THE BAD

A POOR night of sleep causes…

• An inability to control your emotions (have you ever seen a toddler melt down when he’s tired? That could be you!)
• An increased risk of heart disease
• An increased risk of diabetes
• An increased risk of high blood pressure
• An increased risk of kidney disease
• An increased risk of stroke
• Less productivity at work or school
• Decreased problem-solving abilities
• Lack of focus, memory skills, and driving ability…in fact, driving drowsy is AT LEAST as dangerous as driving inebriated!

So go ahead and take an extra long nap today-doctor’s orders!

That’s all for this time! Stay tuned for next week’s blog!