Driver Fatigue : A Deadly Consequence of Sleep Apnea
The Benefits
The benefits , financially and emotionally , are tremendous , to the Hygienists , to their doctors , and to their patients .
-Helping patients in a critical dento-medical area -Improving the patients ' Quality of Life ( QOL ) and literally saving lives . -The admiration of colleagues and friends -Increased value to the dental practice -Attracts new patients who have additional needs -Potential of greater income for everyone involved -A more relaxed patient service
Driver Fatigue : A Deadly Consequence of Sleep Apnea
Do you remember the two recent deadly train wrecks attributed to engineers suffering from sleep apnea ? The first was in NYC on Metro North RR and the other on NJ Transit commuting from NYC .
It ’ s known that 1 out of 3 people suffer from a sleep disorder . Obstructive Sleep Apnea ( OSA ) can effect anyone in public transportation and in private driving .
The National Highway Safety Administration estimates that “ 100,000 vehicle accidents , 1500 deaths and 71,000 injuries result from drowsy driving annually .” Most sleep deprivation results from :
• Sleep apnea
• Shift work
• Certain medications
• Long-haul driving
• Inadequate time for sleep
• Insomnia
• Release from a stay in hospital
The state of New Jersey passed a law in 2003 that criminalizes drowsy driving due to its similarity to alcohol or drug impaired driving .
Consuming caffeine is only a short term fix for drowsiness . After 3 nights of deprived sleep , caffeine was shown to be non-effective in combating sleepiness .
Adults need 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to maintain adequate alertness . With OSA , a person can wake 6-30 plus times per hour to gasp for breath . The brain and other organs are oxygen deprived these many times .
Another consequence of inadequate sleep is that a person , while driving can suffer from “ microsleeps ” lasting less than a second . In this state , the brain switches from Wake to Sleep mode , enough time to cause a crash .
Hygienists , as health care providers , are in the perfect position to screen for drowsiness and sleep apnea . We can and will save lives both on the road and in someone ’ s personal life . More and more dental practices are getting on board for the OSA fight . Shouldn ’ t your office be one of them ? We can help you join the battle and stand out as a lifesaver . Sleepgs . com
2
SleepGS . com 855-978-6088