We are prone to making more mistakes when sleep deprived - but why? Researchers from the University of Wisconsin recently set out to answer this question.
In a study involving rats, they found that sleep deprivation resulted in brain neurons switching off. In other words, parts of the brain were falling asleep even though the rats were still awake.
This would certainly account for the grogginess and hallucinatory experiences many insomniacs describe in our insomnia help forums. Fingers crossed this research will pave the way for new methods of insomnia treatment.
[Thanks, Marina]Source: Nature
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Last updated: June 9, 2011
