Sleep Apnea Risks Increased by Inactive Jobs and Late-Night Shifts
University studies have shown that employees who work jobs that do not require much physical activity are more likely to be diagnosed with sleep apnea, a sleep disorder characterized by irregular pauses in breathing while sleeping. The reason for this correlation probably boils down to the increased number of overweight employees in certain professions, such as office workers who remain at their desks and in front of computer for the majority of the day and particularly members of law enforcement who work late-night shifts on-call either at an office or driving around town in their vehicles.
Sleep apnea itself is difficult to detect in patients, but may have damaging repercussions if it persists for a long time without proper treatment. Sleep apnea left undiagnosed may result in partial cut-off of oxygen flow to a person’s vital organs, eventually causing trouble in other areas of their health and daily life. Some patients who have sleep disorders which cause them to suffer from sleep deprivation symptoms will later on develop such conditions as clinical anxiety and clinical depression and may on a regular basis have severe problems focusing in a normal work environment and in social situations.
There are several different types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA) and complex sleep apnea (a combination of OSA and CSA). By far, the most common type of sleep apnea, especially among patients with obesity, is obstructive sleep apnea, caused by a physical or structural blockage of the airway passages while a person is lying down that prevents them from breathing normally or freely at night. People who naturally have large necks or those who struggle with proper weight management are highly susceptible to being diagnosed with sleep apnea. Their tongues are more likely to collapse backward into their throat during the night or the weight of their bodies on the windpipe or trachea may cause narrowing of the area for air flow.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association recently found that 1 out of 4 policemen and policewomen have obstructive sleep apnea. Some conclusions have tied this statistic to the fact that many work force members practicing law enforcement are overweight. The job, although it can be physically taxing at times such as basic training upon getting hired, is also associated with ample “down time” dedicated to driving around, sitting and being generally inactive. Furthermore, working for a police force may also mean irregular or late hours; overweight patients who also have to deal with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) as a result of a consistently late working schedule may not be able to adjust to symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness. Many officers with obstructive sleep apnea also have insomnia and shift work syndrome. Symptoms of sleep apnea in such cases usually are worse and require more invasive intervention in terms of sleep apnea treatment, such as UPPP or other type of surgery.
In terms of prognosis, most cases of sleep apnea are very treatable with the proper equipment. CPAP machine and CPAP masks, devices intended to provide continuous positive airway pressure in a person’s upper respiratory system at night treats many cases of sleep apnea. Certain dental appliances can also be custom-made and worn regularly at night to keep the area behind the tongue open for easy air flow. Sleep experts have recommended that police officers who suffer from sleep apnea should move forward immediately with finding the right sleep apnea treatment for them, as to not become a danger on the road and to adequately perform their occupational services. Remember, the long-term effects of sleep apnea, such as chronic fatigue and depression could have negative influences on any employee.
