Psychology
How Sleep Deprivation Impairs Attentional Control
Quick fact
After 24 hours without sleep, performance on a simple attention task can decline as much as if you were legally drunk (around 0.08% blood alcohol content).
Why this is interesting
You’ve probably experienced a foggy day after a poor night’s sleep—but why does missing just a few hours of sleep make it so hard to focus? The answer lies in a small region of your brain that acts like a CEO.