According to an article published by The Huffington Post, individuals who suffer from chronic, untreated sleep disorders are twice as likely to suffer workplace injuries than those without sleep disorders. Additionally, people diagnosed with sleep apnea, a sleep condition which consists of disrupted sleep due to intermittent pauses in breath, are three times as likely to sustain fatigue-related injuries.
The Study
According to Dr. Najib Ayas, a professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia, persons who suffer from sleep apnea have decreased attention, motor function, vigilance, and cognitive function. As a result, these sleep apnea sufferers are at higher risks for various types of accidents including auto collisions and workplace accidents.
In a study, Dr. Ayas and his team examined 1,236 patients. During the study, these participants were examined and evaluated for sleep apnea. Out of this group, 994 patients were diagnosed with sleep apnea while 242 persons were not.
At the conclusion of the study, researchers discovered the following:
- 10% of sleep apnea sufferers in the study reported injury claims
- Only 5.4% of those without sleep apnea reported injury claims
- 4.5% of those with sleep apnea filed injury reports after falls or car accidents related to fatigued driving
- Only 1.7% of those without sleep apnea filed injury reports after falls or car accidents related to fatigued driving
Dr. Ayas states that researchers plan to perform a follow-up study to see if treatment can help remedy the high injury rates of those suffering from sleep apnea. Researchers believe the results of this study may encourage employers to perform sleep apnea screenings in the workplace to prevent harm and injuries.
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