Sleep Study Experience

Last Friday, Jen, who blogs to Thinking by Smell, wrote about being in a sleep study. That's interesting. I was part of a sleep study over ten years ago when I lived in the Detroit, Michigan area:

The researchers were testing to see how drowsy a person taking Benadryl gets. The first week was going to be a baseline test (i.e., a control test) I was told that I could not take in any caffeine or chocolate 12 hours before I was to go in. They should have just put me in jail or something.

I went in at the approved time and also went to a "hook up" room. Shortly after they turned off the lights, I was out. They woke me up in the morning, and boy, did I feel wasted. They let me eat breakfast, but I was not to drink any caffeine still. After the breakfast break, I went to a computer terminal and had to take this manual dexterity test. I was supposed to get a perfect score, considering I hadn't been given any of the Benadryl. But because I was still so sleepy, every cell in my body begging for rest, I didn't get a good score.

Later that week, I received a check in the mail and was told that they would not need me any more for the current sleep study. I know it was because I was a poor control guinea pig.

I've considered participating in additional studies because participants get paid. Maybe soon...