Perhaps you are watching a movie and jerk yourself awake multiple times. Maybe you are driving at night and awaken when your car crosses a rumble strip. In both cases, you have experienced microsleep.

Microsleep is a brief, involuntary shutdown of brain activity, often lasting 15 to 30 seconds, caused by sleep deprivation. It can occur anytime, even while driving, posing serious risks. Common signs ...

Microsleep refers to periods of sleep that last from a few to several seconds. People who experience these episodes may doze off without realizing it. Some may have an episode in the middle of ...