the.com/drowsiness
the brain dimming the lights before it kicks you out of consciousness entirely
means the heavy, half-awake state of feeling sleepy and slow, when staying alert becomes a losing battle.
from From "drowsy," which traces back to Old English "drūsian," meaning to sink, droop, or grow sluggish — a fitting image for eyelids losing the fight against gravity. The "-ness" simply turns the adjective into the state itself.
- chemical culprit
- Adenosine builds all day, then knocks you out
- caffeine trick
- Coffee blocks adenosine, doesn't remove it
- warm warning
- Driving while drowsy rivals drunk driving danger
- microsleeps
- Brain can nap for seconds, eyes open
- post-lunch dip
- Afternoon slump is a real circadian event
narcolepsy — neurological disorder affecting 1 in 2,000 people worldwide, causes sudden uncontrollable sleep attacks
sleep apnea — affects ~22 million americans, causes repeated breathing interruptions leading to daytime drowsiness
circadian rhythm disorder — affects shift workers and jet lag sufferers, documented in studies of airline crews crossing multiple time zones