For the Sleep-Deprived, Small Distraction Can Have Dire Results

Those lacking sleep are more error prone, whether they are surgeons or drivers. Arthur Savary/Unsplash

Small distractions can have serious consequences for people deprived of sleep, according to the largest experimentally controlled study on sleep deprivation to date.

The findings reveal just how detrimental operating without sleep can be in a range of situations, from bakers adding too much salt to cookies to surgeons botching surgeries.