Sleeplessness can impair driving as much as alcohol, and is often the cause of serious traffic accidents. When it comes to staying awake behind the wheel, many common remedies - rolling down the windows, turning up the radio, or chewing gum - don't work. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 100,000 crashes each year are the result of drowsy driving.
A dangerous consequence afternoon or midnight shift workers face is sleepiness behind the wheel. The late night and early morning drive times are the most hazardous, with the majority of accidents occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. when the body's natural sleep-wake cycle makes us sleepy.
Get Help at Henry Ford
If you find yourself making up for sleep loss behind the wheel, the team of physicians, nurses and care providers at the Henry Ford Sleep Center can help. Henry Ford Health System operates one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive sleep centers, helping more than 1,200 patients annually. Staff work around the clock to diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders. Sleep studies are routinely conducted at the Center, and because Henry Ford is a research center, a variety of treatment options are available which may not be offered at other sleep centers.
