It’s not uncommon to find yourself becoming tired when you drive. The long, monotonous road ahead can lull your senses into be relaxed and less attentive. We all have our methods of fighting the urge to close our eyes for just a second and take our attention off of the road. But what about when it’s more than an urge? What about when the hum of the engine becomes too much to maintain attentive driving? What about when a driver is actually experiencing the effect of sleep apnea?
Because sleep apnea affects your sleep, it also affects how you function during the day. Untreated sleep apnea can make it difficult for you to stay awake, to focus your eyes, to remain alert and to react quickly to driving situations. While many sleep apnea patients say they never fall asleep while driving, it is important to remember that you don’t have to fall asleep to have a crash. You simply have to be inattentive or not sharp – and with untreated sleep apnea, you are not as sharp as you should be.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep. This results in a decrease in the oxygen level in your blood. Your body reacts by partially or completely awakening each time you stop breathing. This may occur many times over the course of the night. As a result, you do not get the necessary deep sleep you need. People with untreated sleep apnea often wake up feeling sleepy and remain sleepy throughout the day.
Treatment offers the best hope of being able to continue your independent driving. It is rare that an effective treatment cannot be found for sleep apnea.
Here are some suggestions you can implement while waiting to see a sleep specialist to have your apnea treated:
- Use a support when driving. This means:
- When driving, you should ensure that you are fully alert. If not, switch drivers, nap and also drink a caffeinated beverage.
- Have someone with you in the car to make sure that you are not falling asleep; do this until you are sure that your sleep apnea treatment is successful.
- Once sleep apnea treatment begins, you should be assessed for daytime sleepiness.
Treating sleep apnea does not limit your independence, it helps assure you can maintain your independence through driving.
Sleep Insights 