Apnea Symptoms: Daytime Sleepiness

Because obstructive sleep apnea prevents a good night’s rest, it leads to symptoms such as chronic daytime sleepiness that can seriously affect health and well-being. Left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea can lead to excessive fatigue, reduced energy and poor concentration and productivity. Even worse, daytime fatigue can greatly increase the risk of fatal traffic accidents.

Sleep Apnea Affects Your Work

Untreated sleep apnea is a leading cause of poor work performance, absenteeism and low productivity. It can also be costly for employers—research shows that patients with untreated sleep apnea have significantly more frequent physician visits and hospitalizations, costing employers thousands of dollars in insurance claims per patient per year.

Because of this, employers have a vested interest in having employees tested for sleep apnea—one study indicated a total savings of over $6,000 in paid claims per employee and reduced absenteeism by 10 days over a two year period.

Screening for sleep apnea in the workplace easily identifies a treatable cause of low productivity and poor health.

Sleep Apnea Affects Your Driving

The apnea symptoms of daytime sleepiness can lead to drowsy, distracted driving—and fatal traffic accidents. Untreated sleep apnea sufferers are six times more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal traffic accident.

This is especially dangerous if driving is a major part of a person’s job. For example, 30% of accidents involving commercial truck drivers are sleep related. Because sleep apnea is such a prevalent problem, many commercial truck driving companies are now requiring that their drivers be screened for sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Affects Your Quality of Life

Lower energy levels resulting from sleep apnea can impair your productivity and your ability to fully enjoy life. It can also contribute to weight gain, since having less energy makes it difficult to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Treat Your Sleep Apnea to Control Your Daytime Sleepiness

Treating sleep apnea can help manage daytime fatigue symptoms. With increased energy, people are able to get back to activities they enjoy, be more productive, improve their safety on the road and even lose weight.

Learn how to get tested for sleep apnea in the comfort and privacy of your own home with a NovaSom Home Sleep Test. This information is intended for consumer education. Please discuss with your provider because only he or she can order a home sleep test.