Here is a link to an article that speaks to the possible effect of losing even one night’s sleep: link

In reading it, I looked back in my mind to moments where I had conversations about sleep, and I recall that there is an almost “hero-worship” for people who fail to get enough sleep.

“Oh, I couldn’t go to sleep until four last night, and I get up at six…”  “Wow, you’re hardcore…”

“No sleep for me tonight, I’ve got to work a double.”

How is it that the people who do it WRONG are the ones who are admired?  The ones who fail to do it right are the ones who get credit for being special?   The water cooler becomes one person’s personal trophy case of sleepless nights, and all those well-rested people whose brain functions aren’t sleep-deprived suddenly become fawning toadies who wish they could “get by” on no sleep.  I suppose the race is always on, and he who dies first, wins.