A Study’s Eye-Opening Revelation: Self-Assessment of Sleepiness Can Prevent Driving Accidents

Feeling Tired? Hit the Brakes, Not the Road

In an important recent study published in the Sleep Journal, Clare Anderson and her team aimed to assess whether drivers are aware of their sleepiness and its associated symptoms. Moreover, they evaluated how such subjective reports could predict driving impairment and physiological drowsiness.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, an estimated 60% of adults in the United States have driven while feeling drowsy, and around one-third of people have even fallen asleep at the wheel. The dangerous combination of driving and sleepiness increases the likelihood of accidents, making it a critical public health issue.

The study by Anderson et al. closely aligns with Neurobit's work, which focuses on the intersection of sleep health and technology. With an understanding of the physiological markers of sleep and the application of advanced machine learning algorithms, Neurobit is uniquely poised to assist individuals in better understanding their sleep health, with implications for safe driving and beyond.

The research was conducted with 16 shift workers, who drove on a closed-loop track for two hours after a night of sleep and a night of work. They reported their subjective sleepiness and associated symptoms every 15 minutes. The researchers found that subjective sleepiness and specific symptoms predicted severe driving events in the next 15 minutes, thereby highlighting the utility of self-assessment of sleepiness.

This eye-opening finding shows that drivers can and should play an active role in preventing sleep-related accidents by monitoring their own sleepiness. As Neurobit develops innovative solutions to monitor sleep health, these findings underscore the potential of these tools in contributing to safer driving practices.

However, as with any behavior change, ensuring widespread adoption of self-assessment practices presents a challenge. Similarly, making sleep health monitoring tools accessible and user-friendly is an ongoing issue in the field. Neurobit’s solutions are uniquely designed to tackle these challenges:

• Neurobit Score: By using artificial intelligence and deep learning, this platform accurately labels sleep events and aids in identifying the signs of sleepiness, enabling effective self-assessment.

• Z3 Pulse: This wearable ECG device generates comprehensive sleep reports and provides personalized guidance. Users can understand and improve their sleep health, potentially reducing drowsy driving incidents.

• Neurobit Hub: This platform collects and analyzes extensive sleep datasets, promoting the discovery of novel biomarkers like sleep debt and sleep fragmentation, and the development of sleep-centric treatment strategies.

Anderson's study underscores the crucial role of sleepiness self-assessment in preventing driving impairment. Neurobit, with its mission focused on improving health through advanced technology, offers innovative tools that can play a pivotal role in promoting sleep hygiene. By providing insights into sleep health and promoting behavioral change, Neurobit is well-positioned to contribute to this critical issue.

Neurobit invites clinicians, researchers, and anyone interested in sleep health to learn more about our technology and join us in our mission. Please reach out to us at our email below for collaboration opportunities. Email: Research@Neurobit.com

Citation:

Anderson, C., Cai, A. W. T., Lee, M. L., Horrey, W. J., Liang, Y., O’Brien, C. S., Czeisler, C. A., & Howard, M. E. (2023). Feeling sleepy? Stop Driving - Awareness of Fall Asleep Crashes. SLEEP, zsad136. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad136