Responsibility of a driver with Sleep apnea

• To avoid driving if they are sleepy,
• to comply with apnea treatment,
• to maintain their treatment device (CPAP)
• attend follow up appointments
• honestly report their condition to their doctor

Fatigue related accidents

• 4 to 10% of all fatal motor accidents 1 — 4% of all highway crashes
• mild OSA - Odds ratio of 2 for recent road traffic accident
• in severe OSA - an odds ratio of 7.3 for multiple accidents
• Falling asleep at wheel 70 to 80% of serious truck crashes

Dozing off driving is not good

So... Power Naps

More nap sleep -> faster reaction time
less subjective sleepiness
higher alertness at end of the shift
no impact on subsequent sleep at home

• aim for 15 to 30 minutes
• “groggy” with Sleep inertia if awake from deeper stage 3 or 4 sleep so limit naps to 30 minutes to avoid reaching deep sleep

Lack of sleep accumulates over time like a debt:
Don’t burn the candle at both ends

If only 4 hours of sleep a night for 9 days, like 2 ½ days without sleep.

• After 18 hours awake, fatigue levels similar to blood alcohol of .05.
• If awake 23 hours without sleep fatigue levels similar to blood alcohol of 0.12.