How does sleep apnea affect employment and job performance?
Sleep Apnea Can Have an Effect on Employment and Job Performance Excessive daytime sleepiness Poor memory, clouded intellect Poor concentration and performance Fatigue Morning headache Decreased sex drive, impotence Depression Irritability Gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD)
Can you go to work with sleep apnea?
When a person with Sleep Apnea goes to work in the morning, they feel sleepy and tired. They have no enthusiasm to work, nor do they have energy.
Is sleep apnea linked to other health conditions?
Many health conditions are linked to sleep apnea, including obesity and high blood pressure. These conditions, coupled with the lack of sleep, can harm many different systems in your body. By depriving your body of oxygen while you sleep, sleep apnea can worsen symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
What happens if you don’t treat sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea does more than make you sleepy, though. When left untreated, it can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other long-term health risks. Sleep apnea happens when your airway becomes blocked or collapses during the night. Each time your breathing restarts, you might let out a loud snore that wakes both you and your bed partner.
Why is sleep apnea a disability?
Is Sleep Apnea a Disability? Sleep apnea not considered a disability by the SSA, but sleep apnea can cause other breathing disorders and heart problems, which can be considered disabilities by the SSA.
Is sleep apnea considered a serious illness?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. Complications can include: Daytime fatigue. The repeated awakenings associated with sleep apnea make normal, restorative sleep impossible, making severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue and irritability likely.
Can people with sleep apnea work night shifts?
The authors of the study caution that patients with untreated sleep apnea should avoid nighttime work. The Sleep Education Blog urges workers with sleep apnea to take that warning one step further and never let sleep apnea go untreated.
Is sleep apnea an ADA disability?
This court declines to hold that sleep apnea always constitutes or never constitutes a disability under the ADA.
What does sleep apnea fatigue feel like?
You wake up enough to take a few breaths, but not enough to remember it the next morning. This cycle repeats itself many times each night, making you feel tired or exhausted in the morning.
What is the most serious sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is classified by severity: Severe obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is greater than 30 (more than 30 episodes per hour) Moderate obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 15 and 30. Mild obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 5 and 15.
Should I tell my employer I have sleep apnea?
In a safety-critical industry you should inform your employer of anything — including poor sleep — that reduces your ability to work.
What can you not do with sleep apnea?
Many medications can make sleep apnea worse, including:Barbiturates.Benzodiazepines.Some beta-blockers.Opioids.Sildenafil (an erectile dysfunction drug)Testosterone.Drugs that cause you to gain weight.
How do you stay awake during the day with sleep apnea?
Because people with sleep apnea tend to sleep poorly, they often have extreme daytime sleepiness....9 Lifestyle Habits to Increase Your EnergySleep on your side. ... Lose weight. ... Seek out insomnia treatments. ... Eat an energy-boosting diet. ... Avoid alcohol. ... Stay hydrated. ... Get moving. ... Quit smoking.More items...•
How much disability does sleep apnea get you?
How Does VA Rate Sleep Apnea Now? Right now, service-connected sleep apnea is assigned a 50 percent rating if you are prescribed a CPAP machine. If you have a CPAP and you also have chronic respiratory failure or similar conditions, you can get a 100 percent rating.
How much is disability for mild sleep apnea?
Does mild sleep apnea qualify for VA disability? Yes. Veterans with mild service-connected sleep apnea can receive benefits. Veterans with mild service-connected sleep apnea may receive up to a 30% or 50% VA sleep apnea rating.
What sleep disorders qualify for disability?
There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (more common) and central sleep apnea, both of which can qualify for SSDI or SSI. Generally, sleep apnea is diagnosed by a general practitioner who would refer you to a sleep disorder center for a nocturnal polysomnography, or sleep study test.
How much sleep do night shift workers need?
7–9 hoursDedicate time to sleep: Try to set aside a block of 7–9 hours to dedicate to sleep after a night shift. Have something to eat and drink before you go to bed: Pangs of hunger or thirst may wake you up.
Is 3 hours of sleep enough for night shift?
Night Shift Workers Still Need 7-9 Hours Sleep.
Can working night shift affect your heart?
Sept. 24, 2021 – Night Shift work not only disrupts your sleep schedule, but it could also increase your risk of having an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AFib), as well as coronary heart disease, according to new research.
Why is working an overnight shift bad in terms of sleep health?
Poor scheduling, combined with unhealthy attitudes about the need for sleep, can cause major problems for night workers. That's because working at night runs counter to the body's natural circadian rhythm, says Charmane Eastman, PhD, a physiological psychologist at Rush University in Chicago.
How many hours of sleep do you need to make decisions?
If you hold a leadership role at your company, keep in mind that your decision-making skills might suffer as a result of sleep apnea. Without at least seven hours of restorative sleep each night, your ability to make critical decisions will mostly likely plummet.
Is crankiness a sign of sleep apnea?
No one likes a cranky coworker. Unfortunately, irritability can be a symptom of sleep apnea. If you find that you are overly irritable or chronically irritable for no reason, you may want to schedule a consultation to determine if you suffer from this sleeping disorder.
What happens when you go to work with sleep apnea?
These effects can interfere with an individual’s performance at work. When a person with Sleep Apnea goes to work in the morning, they feel sleepy and tired. They have no enthusiasm to work, nor do they have energy. Their production becomes inferior, they feel irritable and moody because of their restless body, ...
How does sleep apnea affect the body?
Sleep Apnea, a sleeping disorder, often goes undiagnosed and affects millions of people all over the world. People who experience the sleep problem also experience the effects that it brings about in their lives. Patients with sleep apnea experience the cessation of airflow for at least 10 seconds. At this point, the body notices there is a low amount of oxygen supply in the blood. The brain’s response to this is to make the body awaken and gasp for air. This may cause the individual to wake panting, sweating, and anxious because they feel they cannot breath. “Imagine a plastic bag tied around your head and jumping in to a pool.” This episode can happen over and over again throughout the night never allowing the individual to get a full nights rest and sleep.
What is a CPAP machine?
Treatments are varied to include a CPAP breathing machine that is used at night, surgical intervention, or sleep appliances that can be made by a dentist that deals with sleep apnea patients.
How long does it take for air to stop flowing in sleep apnea?
Patients with sleep apnea experience the cessation of airflow for at least 10 seconds. At this point, the body notices there is a low amount of oxygen supply in the blood. The brain’s response to this is to make the body awaken and gasp for air.
What is sleep disorder?
Sleep disorders are medical problems that can cause great problems to an individual’s health and lifestyle. But the lifestyle isn’t the only factor that is affected by sleep disorders. When the sleep problem is severe, even the individual’s career is compromised.
Can sleep apnea interfere with work?
Nighttime symptoms of Sleep Apnea may include: These effects can interfere with an individual’s performance at work. When a person with Sleep Apnea goes to work in the morning, they feel sleepy and tired. They have no enthusiasm to work, nor do they have energy.
What is the relationship between sleep apnea and the brain?
Sleep Apnea and the Brain. Source: knowablemagazine.org. Sleep helps regulate two important chemicals in the brain, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Glutamate produces stress, while gamma-aminobutyric acid reduces it by helping you calm down. Sleep apnea increases glutamate levels and decreases gamma-aminobutyric acid levels, ...
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder affecting 6% of American adults. It makes breathing difficult and results in snoring and interrupted sleep patterns. It can also increase the likelihood of waking up in the middle of the night to urinate, which further disrupts natural sleep rhythms. With sleep apnea, restful sleep is almost impossible, even with a regular sleep schedule and sufficient hours in bed.
Why does sleep apnea cause cloudiness?
Sleep apnea can result in problems with concentration, coordination, memory, and learning ability if the brain does not have enough energy.
How does sleep deprivation affect your work?
Sleep deprivation can also make you depend on caffeine and sugar to get through the day. Both of these substances can result in energy spikes and crashes that may not coincide with the flow of a normal workday, so they can impact your performance in meetings and other critical points in the workday either by making you too jittery or by reducing your energy levels.
Why is it important to sleep?
Sleep gives your body time to rest, heal, and process everything that happens in your life. Insufficient sleep can result in poor concentration, low energy, low mood, and health problems, all of which can make it difficult to work efficiently and effectively. Seeking professional sleep apnea treatment can help improve your work performance and your overall well-being.
Does sleep apnea make you less efficient?
You need coordination and motor skills for writing, typing, walking, and other everyday functions. Sleep apnea can decrease your ability to perform these actions smoothly, making you less efficient and productive.
Can sleep apnea affect your work performance?
The Effects Sleep Apnea Has on Work Performance. If you struggle to breathe at night and wind up snoring, you will probably wake up frequently and your sleep quality will be poor when you are asleep. It is hard to perform your best without a good night’s sleep, thus sleep apnea can make your professional life much harder.
Impaired Cognitive Ability
Sleep is restorative and helps our brains function at their optimal cognitive capacity. A lack of good quality sleep makes it more difficult to focus and communicate, two essential functions for any job. It also contributes to memory loss, reduces alertness and decreases problem-solving abilities within the brain.
Negative Workplace Environment
Sleep deprivation can cause problems with workplace relationships, whether among co-workers or in relation to supervisors. When an employee is sleep-deprived, he or she may be more cranky, moody, and less rational. This may cause them to react emotionally or behave rudely toward colleagues, creating a negative work environment.
Increased Stress
Work problems can lead to more stress, both professionally and personally. Stress, in turn, can make sleep problems worse, leading to more anxiety. Bedtime can start to become its own source of stress, causing an employee to worry whether they will be able to fall asleep, or how much sleep they will get.
How to help employees with sleep apnea?
This can be included as part of your workplace wellness program. (Learn more in " 7 Steps for Implementing a Workplace Wellness Program" .) Include an article in the newsletter or send an email to all employees. Both the American Sleep Association and the National Sleep Foundation sponsor annual efforts to learn about sleep health and sleep apnea. Educate supervisors and managers on performance-related signs of sleep deprivation, so they can encourage workers to seek diagnosis and treatment. Health fairs can also be a good vehicle for introducing information to employees about sleep apnea. (Learn more in " 8 Tips for a Successful Company Health Fair ".)
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
One of the most serious disorders is sleep apnea. It happens when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, causing breathing pause or stop. A few facts about sleep apnea: 1 Pauses can last from a few seconds to over a minute. 2 Breathing can stop from 5 to 100 times an hour. 3 Snoring is the most common symptom. 4 Choking, snorting, and gasping can cause waking up. 5 Men over age 40 and obese people more frequently have sleep apnea.
How much money can you save after sleep apnea treatment?
(Learn more in " Encouraging Employees to Achieve Healthy Eating and Fitness Goals in the Workplace ".) Studies have shown that after the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, there is a savings of $9,200 to $13,400 per life year.
How much sleep is needed for a good job?
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night for adults 26 to 64 years old.
Where to get sleep apnea tested?
Diagnosis and Treatment. Diagnosis of sleep apnea is confirmed with a sleep study, usually done at a sleep lab or sleep center. During sleep testing, sensors are attached to the scalp, face, chest, limbs, and a finger.
How many people have sleep disorders?
In fact, sleep disorders affect nearly 40 million people each year. A sleep disorder is a condition that interrupts the normal sleep pattern. A common example is insomnia, difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Why is sleep important?
Sleep is essential for all parts of the body: Brain cells grow and repair themselves. The brain also clears out toxins to prepare for the next day. Memories are sorted and stored, and new pathways in the brain are established. The immune system is strengthened and better able to fight infections or illness.
How Can Sleep Affect Work?
Sleep supports nearly every system in the body 1. When we fall asleep, our eyes close, our breathing slows, and our muscles gradually relax. Neurons in the brain switch to a sleeping state 2, beginning the innumerable biological processes that refresh our body and mind. The rejuvenation provided by sleep is vital for our cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as our ability to think clearly, learn new information, and manage our emotions.
How does sleep affect productivity?
Sacrificing sleep for work, then working more to make up for lost productivity can become an exhausting cycle . Fortunately, understanding the links between sleep and job performance can empower people with ...
How to help someone with sleep problems?
Talk to Your Doctor: Doctors and sleep specialists are experienced in helping people who are having sleep problems. Your doctor can help you create a plan for improving your sleep and offer personalized tips for managing work-related fatigue.
How to improve sleep hygiene?
Improve Your sleep hygiene: Sleep hygiene is all about fostering good habits that promote restful sleep. Make a personalized plan for optimizing your bedroom environment, nailing down a consistent sleep schedule, fine-tuning a bedtime routine, and eliminating any daytime habits that are making it more difficult to sleep.
How many hours of sleep do Americans need?
It’s no secret that Americans are chronically underslept. While the National Sleep Foundation 3 recommends that most adults need around 7 to 9 hours of sleep, almost one-third of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep each night according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 4. This fatigue inevitably bleeds into the workplace and a 2007 study of U.S. workers 5 found that almost 38% of employees experienced fatigue while at work during the previous two weeks.
Why are sleep deprived people more likely to make errors and omissions?
People who are sleep deprived are also more likely to make errors and omissions 8, partially due to increased reaction times 9. This means that tired employees take more time to react in critical situations and may be more likely to make a mistake.
How much time do Americans spend at work?
Americans spend a lot of time at work. In addition to a workday that averages 9.5 hours, the 2008 Sleep in America Poll found that Americans are spending more than four extra hours working from home each week. Unfortunately, more work often equals less sleep. This same survey found that respondents’ sleep time was reduced by an hour and a half during workdays, compared to their sleep on non-work days.
A Serious Issue
Sleeping difficulties cost U.S. companies a lot of money in lost productivity. In fact, research led by Harvard Medical School and the World Health Organization (WHO) found that insomnia costs American companies $63 billion annually.
Get Help Today
Don’t let a sleep disorder ruin your attitude towards work and put your job in jeopardy, please contact us today to for a simple solution. With treatment you can escape all the disturbing consequences associated with sleep apnea.
What happens if you sleep apnea?
If you have sleep apnea, you’re more likely to have fatty liver disease, liver scarring, and higher-than-normal levels of liver enzymes.
What are the health problems associated with sleep apnea?
Many health conditions are linked to sleep apnea, including obesity and high blood pressure. These conditions, coupled with the lack of sleep, can harm many different systems in your body.
Why do people with sleep apnea have diabetes?
When your cells don’t take in insulin like they should, your blood sugar level rises and you can develop type 2 diabetes.
How to control sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can disrupt your nightly slumber and put you at risk of several serious diseases, but there are ways to control it. Treatments, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliances, help keep oxygen flowing into your lungs while you sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Luo, M.D. — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on July 5, 2019. Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing repeatedly pauses while you sleep. When this happens, your body wakes you up to resume breathing.
Is sleep apnea a metabolic disorder?
Sleep apnea has also been associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of heart disease risk factors that include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels, high blood sugar levels, and a larger-than-normal waist circumference.
Does sleep apnea cause asthma?
By depriving your body of oxygen while you sleep, sleep apnea can worsen symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). You might find yourself short of breath or have more trouble exercising than usual.