A study published in ERJ Open Research suggests that frequently using more than three strategies to stay awake while driving might indicate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder often unrecognized by those affected.
People with OSA typically experience loud snoring, interrupted breathing during sleep, and frequent awakenings.
Despite an estimated one in five people having OSA, many remain undiagnosed. This condition leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and increases the risk of road accidents.
The research, led by Dr. Akshay Dwarakanath at St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, UK, points out that fatigue or sleepiness causes up to one-fifth of road collisions.
Identifying drivers who use various alertness strategies could help in diagnosing OSA, especially among those who drive regularly for personal or professional reasons.
In this study, 119 people with untreated OSA were compared with 105 individuals without OSA. Participants reported their general sleepiness, sleepiness while driving, strategies used to stay alert, and any history of driving incidents, like collisions.
The findings revealed that those with OSA were more likely to use multiple strategies to stay awake while driving. Nearly one-third of the OSA group frequently used over three strategies, compared to none in the non-OSA group.
Those with OSA using multiple strategies also reported feeling generally sleepier, more sleepy while driving, and had a higher incidence of crashes (22.8% vs. 2.4%).
Common strategies among OSA sufferers included opening the window, drinking tea or coffee, turning up the radio, singing or talking to themselves, shifting in the seat, chewing gum or eating, stopping for a walk, fidgeting, taking a nap, or washing their face with cold water.
Dr. Dwarakanath emphasized the challenge for doctors in advising patients about their fitness to drive. Recognizing these coping strategies can assist clinicians in identifying patients at risk of driving incidents and provide appropriate guidance.
Dr. Esther Schwarz, from the European Respiratory Society’s group on sleep-disordered breathing at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, who was not involved in the research, highlighted the public health significance of OSA.
She mentioned that OSA symptoms, besides impairing quality of life and causing cardiovascular issues, include concentration difficulties, fatigue, and a tendency to fall asleep during the day.
Thankfully, increased awareness of OSA in recent years has led to tailored treatments based on risk factors, symptoms, and cardiovascular consequences, successfully managing symptoms like daytime sleepiness.
If you care about sleep, please read studies about herb that could help you sleep well at night, and these drugs could lower severity of sleep apnea by one third.
For more information about sleep, please see recent studies that coffee boosts your physical activity, cuts sleep, affects heartbeat, and results showing how to deal with “COVID-somnia” and sleep well at night.
The research findings can be found in ERJ Open Research.
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