How Sleep Deprivation Slows Down Thinking and Decision-Making
The human brain is like a high-performance machine that runs on a delicate balance of energy, chemicals, and rest. When sleep is cut short, the effects can be felt almost immediately, showing up in the way we think, react, and handle daily tasks. Science has been looking into this for years, and the findings are consistent: skipping sleep changes how well the brain works, even if the effects aren’t always noticeable right away. People often take pride in functioning on little sleep, pushing through exhaustion with caffeine and determination. But the brain doesn’t adjust as well as we think. Sleep deprivation slows down reaction time, makes decision-making harder, and weakens memory. Studies have shown that after a bad night’s sleep, people make more mistakes, struggle with focus, and have trouble holding onto new information. Even missing just a couple of hours can make a difference. One way this shows up is in simple tasks. When sleep is cut short, small errors pile up. A tired driver...