Driving With Sleep Apnea

Micro-naps are considered a defense method someone has for not sleeping well, and it is a recurrent problem in drivers with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Affected people usually fall asleep repeatedly while driving, using the emergency brake with deviated trajectory, which can be seen in many sections of some highways.

The behavior during driving is altered in subjects with sleep apnea, being 6 times more exposed to traffic accidents than the rest of the population. Car accidents involving drivers with sleep apnea are more serious.

Not all hope is lost for people with obstructive sleep apnea, as there are possible ways to treat it and actions that can be done in order to reduce its impact on day to day life. The treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome requires the administration of positive air pressure continuously during the sleeping hours, with or without oxygen therapy depending on the case, and weight loss is mandatory for overweight people who are more prone to develop obstructive sleep apnea.

Associated metabolic diseases such as hypothyroidism, neuromuscular diseases, allergies and rhinosinusal infection should be treated. Surgery may be indicated for certain anatomic abnormalities of the rhinopharynx.