Most people know that a poor night's sleep can leave them feeling tired or irritable. But many don't realize that insufficient sleep can also slow their reflexes and reaction time—sometimes to a dangerous degree.
Whether you're driving a car, playing sports, operating machinery, or simply walking down the stairs, your brain relies on quick reflexes to respond to the world around you. When you're sleep deprived, those responses become slower and less accurate.
Understanding how sleep affects reflexes can help you appreciate why quality sleep is essential for both performance and safety.