If drowsiness occurs soon after a transition from being active and moving about to a sedentary situation such as driving, your sleep debt is very likely huge and dangerous. If we are paying attention, most of us know when we are about to fall asleep. It is obviously terribly dangerous if we are having difficulty keeping our eyes open while we are driving. If, at this moment, we try to fight off the drowsiness by turning up the radio, opening the window, or slapping our face, we are playing Russian Roulette with three or more bullets in a six chambered revolver. If we don't respond immediately, we will die.
Drowsiness means a large sleep debt is winning the battle for our mind and brain.
There is only one appropriate response. It is irresponsible and unacceptable to drive drowsy. Even if we choose to risk our own life and health, we have absolutely no right whatsoever to risk the lives of others. In this study, the impairment and fatigue of the subjects was continuing to increase. There was no evidence of a plateau.