Tom Murphy
RedwoodAge.com
Just in time for the holiday travel season, government officials are warning that sleep apnea is triggering transportation accidents.
The National Transportation Safety Board's wake-up call says ship pilots, bus drivers and truckers ought to be routinely screened for the often-overlooked condition, where breathing problems interfere with the ability to sleep deeply. The NTSB previously called for screening of airline pilots and train operators.
Board Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said the sleeping disorder has been a factor in incidents involving every transportation mode, including one in which two airline pilots slept for at least 18 minutes of a flight from Honolulu to Hilo in Hawaii. The plane carrying 40 passengers passed Hilo and headed out to sea until flight controllers woke the pilots up.
Even when people know they have the condition, it can be dangerous. In her letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Coast Guard, Hersman told how 9 people died and 43 others were injured when the bus skidded off a highway in Utah. The driver, who had been diagnosed with sleep apnea, later admitted he'd been having trouble using a device that was intended to help him get the rest he needed.
Sleep Problems
Studies indicate about 44
percent of American adults have problems sleeping. In 2007, 24 million
prescriptions were written for just the top four best-selling sleep aids. The market
for sleep aids is expected to grow as 77 million boomers grow older and
find it harder to sleep.
Either the lack of sleep or the lingering effects of sleep aids can interfere with driving.
Apnea is a serious health issue for anyone, whether they're on the go or not. A recent study showed people over 40 who snore as a result of sleep apnea have up to a 46 percent higher risk of death than people without the condition.
