According to statistics produced by the National Sleep Foundation, 36% of Americans admit to falling asleep at the wheel!  This daytime propensity nod off at the traffic lights could mean you are suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA.

OSA is present in 18 million Americans, most of whom have no idea they have a problem. 90 – 95% of sufferers are unaware that during their night time sleep, their breathing pauses or arrests altogether for intervals ranging from 10 to 120 seconds at a time.  The breathing disorder is the result of blockage in the airflow, caused by fatty tissue in the neck or throat, resulting in a sharp drop in oxygen levels.

Alarmingly, these arrests can occur several hundreds times throughout the night, leaving the sufferer not only exhausted but also prone to developing a number of serious illnesses, such as cardio vascular diseases and stroke. Sleep apnea and car accidents are confirmed to be associated.

Naturally, daytime exhaustion leads drivers to be susceptible to falling asleep whilst driving.  A number of road traffic accidents are attributed to drivers’ daytime sleepiness and falling asleep behind the wheel and of those, a significant number are suspected to have suffered with OSA, although sleep exhaustion is impossible to test for.

OSA is responsible for sufferers’ weight gain leading to serious obesity and its related symptoms such as Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is easily diagnosed and treated.  The Aviisha Health and Wellness Institute offers various methods to ascertain whether you are a sufferer of sleep apnea and also provides a sleep test, either at home or in a sleep laboratoy, to monitor sleeping patterns prior to diagnosis.

“Sleep apnea and its risks should not be taken lightly. Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea yet operates a car or other motor vehicle must be tested for safety and health reasons, as well as for their overall quality of life”, says Dr. Avi, Medical Director of The Aviisha Medical Wellness Institute.

If you fall asleep while driving or are a driver noticing symptoms such as having difficulty focusing; drifting in and out of your lane; hitting rumble strips; missing exits and traffic signals; falling asleep at traffic lights, it is possible that you are one of the millions suffering from sleep apnea.  Should you be experiencing any of these symptoms or a combination of them, arrange for an assessment as soon as possible.  Sleep apnea is easily treated and there is no need to risk your life on the road through sleep exhaustion.