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OSA's Effects on Memory, Depression, Car Accidents, and Marriage Four MAJOR Reasons to Address This Condition |
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Q. What effect does sleep apnea have on memory? A. Many people develop memory deficits due to sleep apnea and they will often complain of daily forgetfulness, losing their keys, forgetting phone numbers, or forgetting to complete daily tasks. The good news is that some patients with obstructive sleep apnea may improve their memory by using Continuous Positive Air Pressure, also known as CPAP. Special Report: CPAP and Memory |
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Q. Is sleep apnea linked to depression? A. Depression is a very common ailment in this country and there’s a very strong link between the two ailments. People with sleep apnea often complain of fatigue, lack of energy and poor sleep, all of which are hallmarks of depression. However, sleep researchers don’t know if the depression is due to sleep deprivation, or if it’s a specific manifestation of the sleep apnea itself. What we do know is that when sleep apnea is effectively treated, the depression often gets better. |
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Q. How often does sleep apnea adversely affect marriages? A. Sleep researchers know that sleep apnea can cause problems in marriages. Loud snoring will certainly make it difficult for anyone to sleep, and this includes even the most loving and understanding of partners. Moreover, for many bed partners forced to sleep with someone who snores, it’s often a long and troubled sleep as they lay in bed listening to their partner’s long periods of not breathing, followed by the violent gasping and struggle for air. Using a CPAP device on a nightly basis is often an area of contention for some partners too, due to the fact that it’s often noisy and can disrupt a bed partner’s sleep. Case Study: OSA and Marriage |
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Q. What role does sleep apnea play in automobile and truck accidents? A. A large one, unfortunately. According to recent figures from the National Sleep Foundation, 36% of Americans admitted to falling asleep at the wheel. Daytime sleepiness could indicate that many of these drivers are suffering from sleep apnea. With so many people suffering from sleep apnea and the hundreds of breathing pauses during the night that disrupt their sleep and leave them exhausted the next day, it’s not surprising that so many people are susceptible to car and truck accidents while behind the wheel. |
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Sleep apnea is one of the major causes of driver fatigue and sleepiness and is thought to increase the risk of a car or truck accident by two-to seven-fold. And while a four-wheel vehicle can wreak a high level of damage when a driver falls asleep behind the wheel of a car or small truck, the havoc and fatalities jump exponentially when one of the 2.4 to 3.9 million licensed commercial truck drivers thought to have sleep apnea dozes off while driving an 18-wheeler. OSA and Trucking |
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