GenCon, sleep, hard-core gaming and drowsy driving

[Charwoman Gene]

PC Rocks...

A few months ago he helped demonstrate to me just how badly my sleep schedule of 3-4 hours a night for a year was killing me.

 

[kkoie]

kickbutt thread! Very interesting information and great tips! I never realized the problem with 1 hour naps.

 

[Vivictus]

- Vivictus, the light-headedness could be from fatigue, although it's a little odd for it to manifest that way. Does it happen when you're well rested?

I couldn't tell you if the dizzyness happens when I am well rested or not, but the lightheadedness seems to be there no matter what, though sometimes it's worse than others. I believe it's worse when I've had less sleep or a bad night sleep, but it's hard to tell. I'm also a very thin guy, smoker, drinker, who weighs only like 112 lbs and I get worn out really easily, so perhaps I may need more sleep than average. Who knows.

 

[Trepelano]

I couldn't tell you if the dizzyness happens when I am well rested or not, but the lightheadedness seems to be there no matter what, though sometimes it's worse than others. I believe it's worse when I've had less sleep or a bad night sleep, but it's hard to tell. I'm also a very thin guy, smoker, drinker, who weighs only like 112 lbs and I get worn out really easily, so perhaps I may need more sleep than average. Who knows.

I'm no doctor - but other possibilities that come to mind are a nutritional deficiency or circulatory problem.

or...if it only happens when you drive - it may be an equilibrium issue - do you get motion sickness easily?

 

[s/LaSH]

This is serious, alright. Exactly the same points were made in a recent issue of the New Zealand aviation safety periodical that they still insist on sending me (I'm an artist these days, not a commercial pilot dagnabbit!). Of course, their article was filled with more references to transpacific flights. If you screw up five thousand kilometers from the nearest rock sticking out of the ocean...

I don't even have a driver's license, and I'm not heading to GenCon, but it's good info for anybody.

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

Great thread. Hey PCat, what's your educational background as a sleep expert, out of curiousity? I'm a cognitive neuroscientist, and though not a sleep expert, I use EEG. These "microsleeps"-- are those associated with specific EEG frequency bands and sleep stages? I mean, you're not totally unconscious during them, but I'm assuming the EEG looks like one or more sleep stages and I'm curious.

1) Can you 'catch up' on sleep? I've always assumed that if I get extra sleep one day, I can sort of 'pay my sleep debt', so to speak.

2) What kind of effects can long-term sub-optimal sleeping patterns produce? That is, if I don't miss sleep, but short myself on it for long periods, what are the effects?

As PC said, luckily you don't need to make up all the sleep you miss. Just one night of extra sleep probably takes care of it. I'm no sleep specialist, and I don't know lots about long term problems but I do know that long-term sleep deprivation is a form of stress, and can compromise your immune function. It's a lot like getting suboptimal nutrition in some respects.

Interestingly, lack of sleep inhibits consolidation of memories and learning, but that consolidation "catches up" pretty well when you finally get to sleep normally. On the other hand, if you're continuing to sleep deprive yourself from the time that you are acquiring the info and when you need to use it, that catching up comes too late!

 

[Dread0395]

Admin Request: Make this thread Sticky

Admin:

This thread is both continuously useful and very safety oriented!

Thanx,

Eric the Dread0395

 

[Piratecat]

Didn't you know? No one ever reads the sticky threads.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Didn't you know? No one ever reads the sticky threads.

Dang! Thought you were Morrus for a second.

 

[Cog]

No, that'd be great! Please credit me as "Kevin Kulp (Piratecat at EN World)", and provide a link here so I can see.

Thanks!

LINK