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James L. Holly, M.D. |
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| James L. Holly,M.D. |
| September 06, 2001 |
| Your Life Your Health - The Examiner |
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Labor Day always causes us to think about the dignity of laboring for one's
livelihood. It reminds us to be grateful to those -- our fathers and
mothers, principally -- who worked hard to make our opportunities in life
possible. And, as we think about them, we think about their well being.
SETMA is encouraging business to implement a worksite wellness program,
encouraging employees to stop smoking, lose weight, exercise, eat right and
to improve their health.
The benefits of a worksite wellness program can be seen simply by reviewing
the incidence of a common disorder such as sleep apnea. Sleep Apnea has
now been documented in up to a startling ten percent of adult men. For
example, in unselected electrical technicians and in a general practice
study, it has been noted in 27 to 47.8% of people with high blood pressure.
Nearly 80% of distance truckers in one study showed repeated drops in oxygen
levels during sleep, consistent with sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is defined as repeated cessation of breathing in sleep, often
with loud snoring and gasping, which occurs with greatest frequency in
overweight individuals. Thus, one could reasonably anticipate that its
prevalence will increase progressively as a result of the rapidly escalating
prevalence of obesity in the U.S. While identified most often in men over
age 40, sleep apnea also afflicts younger workers and women--particularly if
obese or post menopausal. It is more likely in people with short, thick
necks, nasal congestion and "sinus trouble", and it can be aggravated by
alcohol and sleeping pills.
Sleep apnea has been associated:
With an up to 23-fold increased risk of heart attack
With an up to nine-fold increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
With a 2.7 fold increased risk of vascular deaths.
In 73.8% of male stroke victims.
With mortality rates in severe and mild untreated sleep apneics of
10.6% and 2.1%, respectively, versus 0% in treated sleep apneics.
In heart failure
In sleep related convulsions and in cardiac arrests
With irritability, mood swings, and difficulty with memory.
With impaired concentration, memory and problem solving ability in
89% of untreated sleep apneics.
Those at high risk for sleep disorders, which affect work
productivity and safety:
Males over age 40
Shift workers
Drivers
Overweight employees
Overtime requirements
Equipment operators.
Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, are extremely treatable:
NARCOLEPSY is another treatable cause of excessive sleepiness and
is at least as prevalent as multiple sclerosis. It usually begins earlier in
life than sleep apnea, most frequently before age 30. Industrial injuries
were reported in 18.9% of untreated or inadequately treated narcoleptics.
INSOMNIA, which afflicts over one-third of Americans, can impair alertness
and functioning. Insomnia has been reported to cause a 2.5-fold increased
risk of motor vehicle accidents: a risk that may be compounded by
inappropriate self-treatment with alcohol or sleeping pills.
NIGHT/ROTATING SHIFT WORK SCHEDULES have been associated with a wide
range of problems that increase employer health expenditures, including:
Ulcers, gastritis and other gastrointestinal problems,
Respiratory problems and increased respiratory infections,
Low back pain,
Headaches,
Heart disease,
Emotional/marital difficulties,
Susceptibility to stress,
Increased smoking and alcohol use,
Memory lapses and
An overall decline in health.
As recently as 12/11/95, a study of over 121,000 female nurses
reported that those working irregular shifts for over six years were up to
70% more likely to suffer heart attacks. This finding was similar to a 1986
study that showed an 80% increased risk of cardiovascular disease in male
paper mill workers on shift work when compared to those on day shifts.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports:
Estimated that up to 200,000 motor vehicle accidents per year may be
sleep-related.
One of every five drivers admits to having fallen asleep at least
once behind the wheel, and 69% of motorists report drowsiness while driving.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board found that nearly
one-third of all fatal-to-driver traffic accidents had sleepiness as their
probable cause. The NTSB investigated 107 single-vehicle accidents in which
the driver survived and discovered that 58% were related to fatigue--with
18% of the drivers admitting they had fallen completely asleep. The drivers
in this sample had obtained only 5.5 hours of sleep during their preceding
sleep periods: 2.5 hours less than the average reported by truckers with
non-fatigue related accidents.
Sleepy workers are dangerous, less productive, and a major source of
increased health care costs and corporate liability. Studies of the
workplace and transportation industries reveal that human error causes up to
90% of accidents, with inadequate sleep representing a major factor in human
error.
If your organization is at risk, it's worth knowing about it,
because the problem is serious, and because you can do something about it.
And, a simple questionnaire can help you determine how many of your
employees are experiencing a sleep disorder.
If, as an employee, you are experiencing sleepiness on the job, ask for
help.
Remember, it is your life and it is your health.
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