We have all heard someone snoring. Perhaps
you do it yourself. It’s possible you don’t know that you are snoring; only
the person who shares a sleeping space with you knows it. While snoring may
not be very dangerous for some, for others it is a sign of disordered sleep.
And, of course, in the trucking industry, sleep disorders can be hazardous,
not only for the driver himself, but for the other people on the road as well.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year
drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 car accidents.
There are several different types of sleep disorders. The most important one
for our purposes here is Sleep Apnea. This is a complete stop in a person’s
breathing while they are sleeping. It may occur 20 or 30 times AN HOUR! No wonder
that person is tired! The brain gets signals that there is not enough oxygen
circulating and “kick starts” the person’s breathing again. The most common
reason for this condition is obstruction of the airway, either by large tonsils
and/or adenoids or excess tissue in the throat from obesity.
When we sleep, the muscles in the throat relax; if there is too much tissue
back there, the air makes a sound as it passes through — that’s what snoring
is. The usual scenario is that the sleeping person snores and then stops breathing
all of a sudden — sometimes for as long as a minute. The snoring begins again
as the breathing resumes. Not all people who snore have sleep apnea, but if
you have some of the other symptoms as well, you may want to check it out. Sleep
apnea is dangerous because occasionally the person who suffers from it simply
doesn’t start breathing again. It has also been implicated as a culprit in high
blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and sexual dysfunction.
Symptoms of sleep apnea may include: 1) Daytime sleepiness. Some people just
don’t feel rested no matter how much time they spend lying in bed. This results
from the hundreds of times the person’s sleep is disturbed at night. It is especially
troublesome when sitting still or driving. 2) Awakening with a headache. 3)
Irritability. 4) Inability to concentrate or learn.
If you think you might have sleep apnea from the description of symptoms here,
the first thing to do is to contact your primary health care provider. He or
she can refer you to a sleep study center or, in some places, you can even do
a sleep study at home, rather than going to a lab. The test is called polysomnography.
Many different body systems are checked at the same time to determine what exactly
is causing poor sleep. You spend the night at a sleep lab where a technician
puts wires on your head, chest, arms and legs to measure muscle activity, heart
rate, oxygen circulation and brain waves. This activity is recorded on a printout.
A microphone records your snoring and a camera checks to see what position you
are lying in when snoring occurs. The test is not painful, just a little uncomfortable
— trying to find a suitable position while covered with wires! A sleep specialist
then interprets the information to see whether or not you have sleep apnea.
What can you do if you have sleep apnea? Unfortunately, many people use “uppers”
(amphetamines) to keep themselves awake for the long haul. Long term amphetamine
use can damage the heart and brain and can cause behavioral changes like paranoia,
hostility and irritability. This is not a good thing, especially when in the
driver’s seat of an 18-wheeler.
If the results of your sleep study show that you have sleep apnea, you will
be sent for a second night to see how you respond to using a machine that helps
you breathe. This machine, called CPAP (continuous positive air pressure), forces
air into your nose through a mask — just enough to keep your airway open so
that you are not having your sleep disturbed all night. After getting used to
this new way of sleeping, most people feel like a million bucks. They can get
through the day without having a nap or falling asleep.
Other treatment possibilities are surgery and special appliances that keep the
airway open. These are alternatives you would discuss with your doctor to decide
which one might work best for you.
What else can cause sleep problems? Restless Leg Syndrome, a condition in which
the muscles twitch and feel “creepy crawly” can prevent sleep. Insomnia happens
when a person has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Sleep deprivation
— not sleeping enough — accumulates and catches up with you eventually. Many
substances can disturb sleep — like caffeine (found in coffee, soda, tea and
chocolate), alcohol, and some medications taken for colds or high blood pressure.
On the other hand, many medicines can cause drowsiness. Ironically, many people
use alcohol to help them sleep. It will help you fall asleep, however, alcohol
prevents you from getting into the deepest stages of sleep and you may awaken
feeling tired in spite of the fact that you fell asleep quickly.
How can I prevent sleep problems? If you know there is a particular substance
that keeps you from sleeping, avoid it. From many studies done to determine
how much sleep the average person needs, we know that about eight hours is ideal.
Sleeping pills seem like an easy solution, but the truth is that they often
leave you feeling worse the following day. A few simple things you might try
include drinking chamomile tea or warm milk (both have natural sedatives in
them) or performing calming activities before bed (for some, exercise is calming;
for others, it is stimulating).
If, in spite of trying some of the above suggestions, you still feel sleepy
at the wheel, PLEASE pull off the road. Power napping (a 15 or 20 minute rest
on the side of the road) can help you feel more refreshed and increase the chance
of you getting to your destination safely. There is no job worth risking your
life or the lives of others.
Nurse Norma
~Norma Stephens Hannigan is a Family Nurse Practitioner with many years of experience
treating truckers. She writes from her home in Laredo, Texas.
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2003 10-4 Magazine and Tenfourmagazine.com
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