Opinion: Thousands of Truckers Plagued by Apnea
B>By Stuart Lowenthal
I>Chief Operating Officer
ealth Screenings
Do you frequently feel tired, fatigued or sleepy while driving? You may be sleep-deprived. According to recent fatigue studies, many over-the-road drivers are. Getting more sleep is the simple solution. However, for more than 12 million Americans — and up to 25% of the professional driver population — the problem causing this weariness may be something else: a treatable medical condition called obstructive sleep apnea. Professional drivers are four to five times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than the general population, primarily because of their weight.Research shows that if you have untreated sleep apnea, you are seven times more likely to be involved in a vehicle crash. Sleep apnea and sleep deprivation — routinely sleeping less than five hours per night — have similar results. Both can be as dangerous as driving with a .08 blood alcohol level (legally drunk). A driver who suffers from sleep apnea can face the same problems as a drunk driver: slow reaction time, poor judgment and relaxed muscle control.
People with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly for short periods while they sleep — as many as several hundred times each night. These repeated awakenings don't allow the brain and body to physiologically restore itself for the day ahead. Consequently, when they get out of bed they feel almost as tired as when they went to sleep and remain tired almost all the time. In extreme cases, sustained oxygen deprivation associated with sleep apnea can be fatal.
Often, the person suffering from sleep apnea isn't even aware of the problem. Their bed partner is usually the one to present the problem to their snoring, gasping partner.
While disruptive to their partner, this snoring and gasping actually keeps the person with sleep apnea alive. Here's what happens during sleep: The throat muscles relax, closing the airway. This results in an airway blockage, which stops air from entering the lungs. As a result, the body's oxygen content may drop to dangerously low levels. When this occurs, the person briefly wakes up and usually gasps to draw air into the lungs. Then the person falls back to sleep, unaware that they had awakened. For a person suffering from severe sleep apnea, this process is often repeated hundreds of times in a night, never allowing the deep sleep necessary for true mental and physical rest to occur.
You may be suffering from sleep apnea if you exhibit two or more of the following characteristics or symptoms:
- 25 or more pounds overweight and a neck size 16½ or larger.
li> Regular loud snoring.
li> Excessive daytime drowsiness. You easily fall asleep during the daytime while reading, watching television, sitting or traveling short distances in a vehicle.
li> Restless sleep associated with difficulties breathing or just sleeping less than six hours.
li> High blood pressure and/or heart problems.
li> Behavioral problems associated with irritability or depression.
In cases of mild sleep apnea, a few lifestyle changes may be sufficient to improve the quality of sleep. Getting more sleep can help reduce the effect of sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea is often a result of being overweight, losing weight can reduce the number of disrupted breathing events and result in a more restful, rejuvenating sleep. For some individuals, airway blockage occurs more often while sleeping on their backs. In these cases, sleeping in a side-lying or semi-reclined position can help.
In more severe cases, mechanical therapy is the preferred method of treatment. The most common treatment today is a mechanical device that provides continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, while the person sleeps. The CPAP machine provides positive airflow through a mask that is worn over the nose. Air pressure is adjusted to prevent the throat from collapsing while asleep. The device costs between $600 and $1,500. Dental devices can also be used to reposition the lower jaw and tongue to help prevent the throat from closing. For individuals who have difficulty using these types of devices, surgical procedures may provide additional treatment options.
Some health insurance plans cover some or all of the costs associated with the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders. Check with your health insurance company to determine what costs may be covered.
Drivers who experience symptoms and characteristics associated with sleep apnea should consider being evaluated. For many drivers affected by sleep apnea, understanding more about this condition and seeking treatment can result in better quality sleep and improved health. More importantly, getting the full benefit of a good night's sleep is important to ensure a high level of alertness while driving.
Health Screenings, Louisville, Ky., provides sleep consulting services and wellness programs for the transportation industry
This article appears in the Nov. 4 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
