WASHINGTON, DC, May 24, 2010, Less than half of Americans say they get a good night’s sleep every night. Combine excessive sleepiness with an automobile, a long drive, and the one of the heaviest travel weekends of the year, and our risk for a fall-asleep crash increases significantly. In fact, 28% of American drivers have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, according to a recent National Sleep Foundation poll, and more than half (54%) said they have driven while drowsy.

“People think they can judge the precise time they are too tired and don’t realize that ‘drowsy driving’ is a serious danger,” says David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. “They don’t know that it’s possible to fall into a 3-4 second microsleep without realizing it. Traveling at 65 MPH, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field basically unconscious.”

Even if you manage to stay awake, sleepiness causes slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information, which are all critical elements for safe driving practices. “Getting enough sleep can literally save your life,” adds Cloud.

Prevent a fall-asleep crash by getting enough sleep the night before and by knowing the warning signs of sleepiness and using appropriate countermeasures.

Warning Signs: Feeling Sleepy? Stop Driving!

If you start to do the following, it’s time to get off the road. Find a safe place to pull over:

* Have problems focusing, blink frequently and/or have heavy eyelids;

* Drift from your lane, swerve, tailgate and/or hit rumble strips;

* Have trouble remembering the last few miles driven;

* Miss exits or traffic signs;

* Have trouble keeping your head up;

* Yawn repeatedly;

* Or finding yourself rolling down the windows or turning up the radio.

National Sleep Foundation’s Countermeasures to Prevent Fall-Asleep Crashes

* Get a good night’s sleep before you hit the road. You’ll want to be alert for the drive, so be sure to get adequate sleep (seven to nine hours) the night before you go.
* Don’t be too rushed to arrive at your destination. Many drivers try to maximize the holiday weekend by driving at night or without stopping for breaks. It’s better to allow the time to drive alert and arrive alive.
* Use the buddy system. Just as you should not swim alone, avoid driving alone for long distances. A buddy who remains awake for the journey can take a turn behind the wheel and help identify the warning signs of fatigue.
Take a break every 100 miles or 2 hours. Do something to refresh yourself like getting a snack, switching drivers, or going for a run.
* Take a nap—find a safe place to take a 15 to 20-minute nap, if you think you might fall asleep. Be cautious about excessive drowsiness after waking up.
* Avoid alcohol and medications that cause drowsiness as a side-effect.
* Avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep.
* Consume caffeine. The equivalent of two cups of coffee can increase alertness for several hours.

For more information about drowsy driving, visit the National Sleep Foundation’s special drowsy driving and sleep website at www.DrowsyDriving.org

Hello sleepy head! Did you realize this morning that one-third of our lives are spent sleeping? Far from being “unproductive”, sleep plays a direct role in how full, energetic and successful the other two-thrids of our lives can be. Getting the most out of your sleep, both for the quantity and quality are important for each of us. If your sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to complete all of the phases needed for muscle repair, memory consolidation and release of hormones that regulate growth and appetite. So what do you think this does for all of that sweat you just suffered through with that workout and eating right you struggled to do today? How does sleep contribute to all of these things you are now asking? Sleep architecture follows a pattern of alternating REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapied eye movement) sleep throughout a typical night in a cycle that repeats itself about every 90 minutes. Now you may ask, so what’s happening during these 2 patterns?

NREM (75% of the night)-As we begin to fall asleep, we enter NREM sleep. This is composed of stages 1-4.

Stage 1-this is a light sleep; it’s between being awake and falling asleep.

Stage 2-is the onset of sleep, when you become disengaged for your surroundings. Your breathing and heart rate become regular and your body temperature drops, so sleeping in a cool room is helpful.

Stage 3 and 4-these are the deepest and most restorative stages of sleep. During these stages your blood pressure drops and breathing becomes slower. Youn muscles are relaxed and their blood supply increases. Tissue growth and repair occurs and energy is restored. Growth hormones are released during these stages.

REM (25% of the night)-REM sleep first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and occurs every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night. During this stage of sleep, your body becomes immobile and relaxed as the muscles are “turned off”. Your eyes dart back and forth behind closed lids. Your brain is active and dreams occur. This is the stage that provides energy to the brain and body that supports daytime performance.

**It’s IMPORTANT to get the amount of sleep you need in order to wake up prepared to concentrate, make decisions, and engage fully in school, work and social activities**

Your Sleep is Our Passion!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/sleep-apnea-solutions-10511936