The condition of ‘microsleep’ or ‘short, unconscious sleep’ may seem minor because it only lasts a few seconds, but in reality, this condition can cause serious harm, especially if it occurs while driving or operating machinery. Many people often think that microsleep is caused solely by insufficient rest, but in fact, it may result from health problems such as sleep apnea. Today, we will introduce you to microsleep, its causes, warning signs, and prevention methods to reduce the risk of accidents.
What is Microsleep?
Microsleep or short, unconscious sleep (Microsleep) is a condition where the body becomes confused between sleep and wakefulness. It is a very brief period of 1-2 seconds during which the brain suddenly enters a sleep state without awareness and can even happen while the eyes are open.
Factors Causing Microsleep
If you frequently experience microsleep, ‘avoiding’ these triggering factors can help reduce the chances of this condition occurring.
- Insufficient sleep causes the brain and body not to fully recover, leading to fatigue and drowsiness during the day, especially when high concentration is required, such as during work or driving.
- Irregular sleep patterns such as staying up late and waking up late, frequently changing bedtime, or shift work all disrupt the sleep cycle, resulting in incomplete sleep and poor sleep quality. This causes confusion in the body. Additionally, traveling across time zones (Jet lag) is another important factor.
- Health problems that disturb sleep quality, such as:
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- Dementia, which affects the nervous system and sleep cycle control.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), characterized by intermittent breathing pauses leading to frequent awakenings.
- Seizure disorders or certain types of epilepsy without convulsions or jerks but with loss of consciousness, unresponsiveness, lying still but still breathing, sometimes accompanied by urinary or fecal incontinence. Drivers may be unaware during seizures and have no memory of the event.
- Chronic diseases such as asthma, certain heart diseases that may cause sudden loss of consciousness like abnormal fast or slow heartbeats, arrhythmias, or kidney disease that may cause nighttime breathlessness, frequent urination, or chronic pain disturbing sleep, leading to poor sleep, fatigue, and daytime drowsiness.
- Continuous heavy work without stress relief, such as long-distance driving without breaks or insufficient rest before driving.
- Consuming certain drinks before bedtime, such as coffee, energy drinks, or alcohol, which interfere with sleep and cause poor sleep quality.
- Use of certain medications or substances affecting the nervous system that cause drowsiness easily, such as some muscle relaxants, cold medicines, brain disorder treatments, or certain psychiatric medications.
Symptoms and Warning Signs of Microsleep
Microsleep can occur at any time, especially when the body is tired or not sufficiently rested. Here are symptoms or warning signs to watch out for:
- Waking up in the morning feeling unrefreshed and wanting to continue sleeping or feeling drowsy and yawning continuously during the day.
- Experiencing moments passing by without awareness, unable to connect events in the short period before, such as not remembering what was passed while driving in the last 2-3 kilometers.
- Feeling dizzy or unable to keep eyes open, which is a clear sign that the body is about to microsleep. Blurred or unclear vision will slow response to situations, cause lack of concentration, and inability to focus on tasks or activities.
Impact of Microsleep on Driving Safety
Statistics surveyed in many countries show that microsleep is involved in about 10-30% of all car accidents. In Thailand, microsleep causes about 4% of accidents, leading to severe injuries, disabilities, or death for both the driver and others. When microsleep occurs, response to situations slows down, such as not seeing traffic lights or failing to notice other vehicles or pedestrians. This leads to wrong decisions in vehicle control during critical moments.
How to Prevent Microsleep to Reduce Driving Risks
Knowing how to prevent and manage factors that may cause microsleep helps reduce the risk of accidents and increase driving safety.
Microsleep is a condition that can seriously affect safety, especially while driving. Therefore, prevention and treatment of this condition are very important. If you find yourself frequently experiencing symptoms that may lead to microsleep, you should consult a specialist at Phyathai Phaholyothin Hospital. We have a team of sleep specialists ready to provide consultation and treatment for related conditions to ensure your safety while driving and in daily life.
Dr. Theerapap Kitchawijit
Neurologist
Center for Neurological and Brain Diseases
