February 20, 2025  | Charmaine Skoubo

The year was 1959 and radio DJ, Peter Tripp, was going to pull a publicity stunt people would be talking about for years to come. His goal was to stay awake while also collecting pledges for March for Dimes. Sleep researchers came to make sure he was safe, but also study what would happen after so many hours of sleep deprivation. After 120 hours of no sleep, he began to hallucinate and his body went into REM sleep, while still appearing awake. Tripp claims this stunt affected the rest of his life, citing his divorce, recurring headaches, and anger problems.

While most of us are not trying to stay up for days at a time, even minimal sleep deprivation can have a lasting effect on your health. After several nights of losing sleep — even a loss of just 1 to 2 hours per night — your ability to function suffers as if you haven't slept at all for a day or two. 

Daytime Performance and Safety

One major issue associated with the lack of sleep is that it may lead to episodes of microsleep. Microsleep refers to brief moments of sleep that happen when you're normally awake. You can't control microsleep, and you might not be aware of it. For example, have you ever driven somewhere and then not remembered part of the trip? If so, you may have experienced microsleep. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, sleepy drivers are said to have caused 328,000 accidents annually, 6,400 of those accidents being fatal.

Even if you're not driving, microsleep can affect how you function. If you're listening to a lecture, for example, you might miss some of the information or feel like you don't understand the point. You may have slept through part of the lecture and not realized it. One area of the brain that suffers dramatically from sleep deprivation is the hippocampus. This is a region critical for the storing of new memories. When people are deprived of sleep for even one night, their ability to memorize new information drops significantly. 

Sleep deprivation appears to cause the amygdala, also known as the emotional control center of the brain, to overreact to negative stimuli because it becomes disconnected from brain areas that normally moderate its response. This is why Peter Tripp, a normally happy and upbeat guy, was lashing out at friends during the wake-a-thon. It’s even said his negativity continued long after the event.

Benefits of Sleeping

It’s clear that a lack of sleep can take a toll on people and even affect those around them. Let’s talk about the benefits of a good night’s sleep:

• Helps support a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin): When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested.
• Heals and repairs your heart and blood vessels.
• Affects how your body reacts to insulin: Insulin is the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher-than-normal blood sugar level, which may raise your risk of diabetes.
• Supports healthy growth and development: Deep sleep triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens.
• Affects your body’s ability to fight germs and sickness: Ongoing sleep deficiency can change the way your body’s natural defense against germs and sickness responds.
• Decreases your risk of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke.

Many people aren’t getting enough sleep as people sacrifice rest time to work, especially on devices which emit blue light. This light makes falling asleep more difficult, further eroding the quantity and quality of sleep.

We know that we need to eat healthy, drink water, and exercise regularly, adding a good night’s sleep is also part of being healthy. For your overall health, adults should be getting at least seven hours of sleep every night.

Preventing Workplace Accidents Due to Drowsiness

Sleep deprivation is a growing concern in modern workplaces as well, affecting employees’ productivity, decision-making, and overall safety. Insufficient sleep leads to reduced cognitive function, increased accident risks, and long-term health problems.

Sleep deprivation has been linked to some of the most catastrophic workplace accidents in history, including the Chernobyl disaster, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and major transportation accidents. Workers operating heavy machinery, driving vehicles, or handling hazardous materials are especially vulnerable when they are sleep-deprived, making  fatigue management a critical component of workplace safety. 

Here is a list of ways employers can help their workers stay safe and reduce workplace accidents due to a lack of sleep:

1. Implement a Fatigue Management Program

• Educate employees on the importance of sleep and proper rest schedules
• Introduce mandatory rest breaks and limit excessive overtime.
• Encourage employees to report fatigue-related concerns.
• Establish clear policies to prevent overwork and burnout.

         2.  Promoting Healthy Sleep Habits

• Provide resources on sleep hygiene, including maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and avoiding caffeine before bedtime.
• Encourage employees to create a restful sleep environment by reducing noise and screen exposure.
• Provide access to relaxation and mindfulness programs to improve sleep quality.

         3. Adjusting Work Schedules for Better Sleep

•  Rotate shifts fairly to allow employees sufficient recovery time.
• Avoid scheduling consecutive night shifts whenever possible.
• Allow flexible work arrangements when feasible.
• Implement workplace napping areas for employees working long shifts.

         4. Using Technology to Monitor Fatigue

• Implement wearables or alertness tracking tools to monitor fatigue levels.
• Utilize AI-driven scheduling software to optimize shift patterns.
• Conduct periodic health and wellness assessments.
• Use fatigue detection systems in industries such as transportation and manufacturing.

         5. Encouraging a Culture of Safety and Support

• Foster an open workplace environment where employees feel comfortable discussing fatigue-related issues.
• Train supervisors to recognize signs of sleep deprivation and take appropriate action.
• Offer access to employee wellness programs, including mental health support.
• Provide incentives for employees who follow good sleep and wellness practices.

Sleep deprivation is far more than just an occasional inconvenience; it poses serious risks to our health, safety, and productivity. Whether at home or in the workplace, prioritizing sleep is essential. Employers must foster environments that support rest, and individuals should make sleep a non-negotiable part of their routine.

From Peter Tripp’s infamous wake-a-thon to the daily struggles of modern workers, the consequences of insufficient sleep are clear. Sleep is not a luxury—it is a biological necessity, crucial for memory, emotional regulation, physical health, and overall well-being. By understanding the profound impact of sleep deprivation and taking proactive steps to improve sleep hygiene, we can safeguard our health and create safer, more productive communities. Remember: a good night’s sleep isn’t just a personal investment—it’s a foundation for a better life.