Untreated Sleep Apnea Affects Job Performance

Two new studies show that untreated obstructive sleep apnea can have a negative impact on job performance.

A study in the June 1 issue of the journal Sleep involved 150 people; they were all referred to a sleep center in California for suspected sleep apnea. Their average age was 44 years; each of them was employed at the time of the study.

An overnight sleep study confirmed the presence of sleep apnea in 83 of the participants. Results show that work productivity suffered when people had sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness.

They were almost 14 times more likely to have had job-performance problems in the past four weeks. Examples include falling asleep on the job or missing a day of work. They also were more likely to report decreased job effectiveness.

Results also show that people with OSA and EDS were almost four times more likely to have had their work duty modified in the past five years. Examples include taking a pay cut or missing a promotion. Other examples include changing jobs or a job schedule.

Another new study involved 957 people in Finland who were diagnosed with OSA; they were compared with 4,785 people who did not have sleep apnea.

Results show that the risk of lost work days was increased by 61 percent in men with OSA; it was increased by 80 percent in women with sleep apnea.

In women this risk was already increased five years before they were diagnosed; in men the highest risk appeared one year before the year of their diagnosis.

It is estimated that about 80 percent of men and 90 percent of women with moderate to severe sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Are you one of these people?

You can find out with an overnight sleep study. Contact an AASM-accredited sleep center near you for help.

On SleepEducation.com you can learn more about how a sleep study may be your best investment for long-term health. You also can answer these questions to learn more about your risk for sleep apnea.

Craig David: “Insomnia” from a Broken Heart

British R&B star Craig David is in love, and he can’t sleep – at least in his song lyrics. His single “Insomnia” spent nine weeks on the Billboard Pop 100 Airplay chart, peaking at #62.

In 2000 the 19-year-old David became the youngest British male solo artist to have a number-one single. But he’s still trying to build momentum for his music in the U.S.

“Insomnia” describes what happens to his heart and to his sleep when the woman he loves walks out on him:

Because I can't sleep til you're next to me
No I can't live without you no more
Oh I stay up til you're next to me
Til this house feels like it did before
Feels like insomnia ah ah, Feels like insomnia ah ah
Feels like insomnia ah ah, Feels like insomnia ah ah

Insomnia - Craig David

A recent study indicates that David isn't the only person to experience this kind of insomnia.

The study involved 360 women; it examined the link between relationship status and sleep. Results show that women who lost a partner during the eight-year follow-up period had the worst sleep.

Get insight about insomnia in this Q&A with a sleep specialist on SleepEducation.com.

Regis Philbin’s Sleep Study Results: It’s Sleep Apnea

Who wants to feel like a millionaire? Talk show and game show host Regis Philbin says that he does.

The Emmy Award-winning TV personality can’t get a good night’s sleep. Regis said that he wakes up multiple times during the night.

And after waking up it can be a struggle to get back to sleep. As a result he rarely feels his best during the day.

For years he’s been complaining about his sleep problems on “Live with Regis and Kelly.” And his wife Joy has her own sleep problem: His snoring keeps her awake at night.

But now Regis knows what’s causing his disturbed sleep. He spent the night at a sleep disorders center in New York. His experience was documented on Thursday’s show.



Results of his overnight sleep study show that he has obstructive sleep apnea. This common sleep disorder occurs when the muscles relax during sleep. As a result soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the upper airway.

Breathing pauses can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer. A person with severe sleep apnea may have hundreds of breathing pauses per night.

So what is going to help Regis sleep better? On the show he took a look at a CPAP unit and mask. CPAP therapy is the most common treatment for OSA.

The small unit plugs into the wall and sends air through a long, flexible tube. The tube connects to a mask that you wear during sleep. The stream of air keeps the airway open, preventing breathing pauses.

On SleepEducation.com you can learn more about how a sleep study may be your best investment for long-term health. You also can answer these questions to learn more about your risk for sleep apnea.

Get help for sleep apnea at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Drowsy Driving: Mercedes, SAAB Develop Prevention Systems

Car makers Mercedes-Benz and SAAB are both using high-tech systems to help prevent drowsy-driving accidents.

Mercedes introduced its Attention Assist system as a standard feature of the 2010 E-Class. Sensors measure more than 70 parameters to monitor your alertness.

They keep track of your speed and acceleration. The sensors record your use of turn indicators and pedals. They even take into account external factors such as wind.

But the system focuses on your steering behavior. It detects minor steering errors that often occur in the early stages of drowsiness.

Attention Assist then warns you when you are at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. A chime sounds, and a message appears on the instrument display. It shows a coffee cup with the words, “Attention Assist: Time for a break?”

You can see the system in action in this interactive, online test drive of the new E-Class.

SAAB is taking a different approach. Its Driver Attention Warning System uses an infrared camera to keep an eye on your eyes.

Software analyzes the image and measures your rate of eye blinking. Warnings occur when it detects drowsy eye-lid closures.

First a chime sounds, and a warning appears on the instrument panel. Then verbal warning messages are played through the car’s sound system.

The camera also monitors movement of the head and eyes. If you look away from the road for too long, your seat cushion will vibrate.

“It is a fact that many drivers do not stop and get out of the car if they are feeling drowsy,” SAAB representative Arne Nabo said in a prepared statement. “So we are now trying to help drivers to help themselves.”

SAAB also is developing a TV ad called “Sleep Attack.” It shows a drowsy-driving accident from the driver’s point of view. See an online storyboard of the ad.

The ad’s message is simple and direct: “Sleep before you drive.”

Learn more about drowsy driving on SleepEducation.com.

Drowsy Sailing: Sleep Deprivation & the U.S. Navy Port Royal Accident

The Honolulu Advertiser reports that sleep loss and fatigue may have been factors in the Feb. 5 grounding of the USS Port Royal, a guided-missile cruiser.

The ship’s captain told the Navy Safety Investigation Board that he was tired when the ship got under way. He got less than five hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours; in the three days leading up to the incident he slept for a total of only 15 hours.

The ship ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of Honolulu. The 9,600-ton cruiser remained stuck for days before efforts to free the ship were successful. The AP reports that the accident caused an estimated $25 million to $40 million in damage to the $1 billion Port Royal.

In April the Sleep Education Blog reported that the U.S. Navy has been paying attention to sleep. There is concern that sleep deprivation can increase mistakes and accidents.

The National Transportation Safety Board also is concerned about safety on the open seas. For years the NTSB has sought to reduce marine accidents caused by human fatigue.

The NTSB is advocating for work-hour limits for mariners based on fatigue research and sleep needs. This was added to the NTSB’s “most wanted” list of safety improvements in 1999. But the NTSB reports that the U.S. Coast Guard has not taken action to address this issue.

Sleep deprivation also may have been a factor in the famous grounding of another ship – the Exxon Valdez. The oil tanker ran aground on March 24, 1989. About 11 million gallons of oil were spilled into Alaska’s Prince William Sound.

The Alaska Oil Spill Commission published a final report on the incident in 1990. It states that the ship’s third mate failed to maneuver the vessel properly.

The mistake may have been caused by fatigue; testimony suggests that he may have been awake and at work for up to 18 hours before the accident.

“It is conceivable that excessive work hours (sleep deprivation) contributed to an overall impact of fatigue, which in turn contributed to the Exxon Valdez grounding," the report concluded.

Image by the U.S. Navy