Sleep Deprivation Analysis

657 Words3 Pages
William C. Dement, the primary author of Sleep Debt and the Mortgaged Mind, with the aid of his co-writer Christopher Vaughan, illustrates the consequences of sleep deprivation in modern society with various anecdotes, relatable experiences, and research studies. Dement’s utilization of writing in first and second person point of view, colorful diction, and relatable examples supported with credible sources results in an effective, informative paper that sparks awareness about society’s ignorance toward sleep and the negative effects of sleep deprivation. According to Dement, the underlying cause of the two tragedies involving the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Challenger space shuttle explosion, correlate to sleep deprivation. Yet, the public has little knowledge that sleep deprivation is to blame, instead they place fault on alcohol consumption for those catastrophes. Dement introduces an eye-opening story of his companion who overestimated his ability to withstand sleep deprivation, which resulted in his near-death experience when driving with little to no sleep. Many people fall victim to dangerous predicaments caused by sleep deprivation; Dement views the need for sleep as a basic function like the need for food. The less time one spends sleeping, the more one desires to sleep. That sensation associates with Dement’s theory of sleep debt; if one does not acquire the minimum amount of sleep, one’s brain ensures that those missing hours will be paid back. That debt accumulates each time one receives less sleep than the necessary amount. Sleep debt , according to the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, caused students to be classified as pathologically sleepy. Many do not strive to resolve their sleepiness. He concludes his piece by proposing several rhetorical questions aimed at consequences of sleep deprivation on one’s health. In his beginning paragraph, he
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