Understanding Sleep Apnea

01.28.2008

For the majority of drivers in the U.S., weight issues and high blood pressure are a concern because of their affects on not only health, but on job eligibility. As if there are not enough potential health problems waiting to plague the trucking industry, you can add sleep apnea to the list. While sleep apnea can affect people of all ages and both genders, it is most common among middle-aged men, many of whom are overweight or obese… a description eerily similar to that of the average American truck driver.

Sleep apnea is far more common that many think. It affects more than 12 million Americans, counting it just as common as adult diabetes. There are three different types of sleep apnea; central, mixed, and obstructed. Of the three, obstructed is the most common. The condition is characterized by long pauses in breath during sleep, sometimes lasting for longer than a minute and occurring hundreds of times throughout a nights’ sleep. Apnea is caused by the nasal airway being sucked shut when breathing in, as opposed to the airways of a healthy person, which would typically relax during sleep. During each episode of apnea, the brain sends a message to resume breathing, but the sleep following episodes is often fragmented. Studies show a significant relationship between apnea and the incidence of diabetes (independent of obesity). It may also result in a rise in blood pressure, in turn raising the risk of heart attack by approximately 20% and stroke by nearly 40%.

Patients with sleep apnea also experience increased sleepiness throughout the day, impaired cognitive performance and driving, as well as depression and hypertension. This is particularly dangerous for truck drivers as one study shows that these factors can increase the risk of accident while driving or operating machinery by as many as three to six times. In fact, according to Harrison’s Internal Medicine, in many cases the “sleep attacks” resulting from apnea can be indistinguishable from narcolepsy.

There are a number of treatments available for sleep apnea, which can improve sleep, reduce or eliminate snoring, and improve energy and wellbeing throughout the day. Treatments include weight loss, the strict avoidance of cigarettes and alcohol, the regular use of a breathing mask, called a CPAP while sleeping, and surgery. If you fear that you may suffer from sleep apnea, contact your healthcare provider.

Possible warning signs:
o Grogginess during the daytime
o Recent weight gain
o Obesity or being overweight
o Heavy snoring during the night
o Daytime sadness or depression
o Headaches
o Impotence (in men) or a decreased libido
o A partner witnesses gasping, choking or what appears to be “holding your breath” during sleep (Often a partner is the first to notice symptoms or signs given the nature of the problem.)