Sleep apnea is a condition that many people don't even know they have, but it poses a danger to them if they drive. Here's why you should get examined and treated for sleep apnea, to keep you safe when you're on the road.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

First of all, you need to know what sleep apnea is. It's a condition that affects your breathing as you sleep. Most commonly, you may stop breathing for a few seconds at a time while you're asleep. This can because there's a physical blockage in your airways when you lie down for bed, or your brain cannot be sending the signals to your body to breathe.

It can cause a wide range of symptoms that at first, you haven't even linked to possible sleep apnea. These include:

• Insomnia
• Dry mouth or a sore throat on waking
• Repeated waking in the night
• Tiredness during the day
• Irritability
• Falling asleep during the day

If you're suffering from any of these symptoms, you may well have sleep apnea. A sleeping disorder test could be the answer, to help you alleviate these symptoms.

How Does This Affect Your Driving?

If you drive, then you'll already know that your driving is affected when you're tired. That's why long-distance drivers are advised to take regular breaks and get rest before heading back onto the road. You'll know that when you're tired, your responses are dulled which can make you dangerous behind the wheel.

This is especially a problem for people who drive for a living, such as long-distance truck drivers, or railway staff. It's not just their own safety they have to worry about, it's other road users or their passengers. After several incidents, there's now a movement to have mandatory insomnia tests and sleep apnea tests, for people in these kinds of jobs.

Getting Tested For Sleep Apnea

If you're worried that you may have sleep apnea and that it's affecting your driving, then you can get yourself tested. The first step will be to go to your doctor and describe your symptoms to them. Your doctor will then decide what will be best for you. If they think sleep apnea may be the cause of your issues, they'll ask you to get tested.

There are two ways of getting tested for sleep apnea. First of all, you may need to go to a sleep clinic where you'll be watched by clinicians as you sleep. They'll be looking for any indicators that show that you have sleep apnea. This works for some people, but for others, they may find it too difficult to undergo this testing. For example, they may not be able to sleep in the lab, or they can't be away from home overnight.

That's why home testing is now becoming a big thing in the medical field. You can buy the equipment yourself, and use it in the comfort of your own bedroom. Once you have the data from your test, you can then take it to your doctor. They'll then discuss the results with you, and discuss treatment.

Sleep Disorder Treatment

Once you've been tested for sleep apnea, if you've been diagnosed with the condition there are a few options when it comes to treatment. For example, you may need to wear sleeping equipment to keep your airways open. It may be controlled with medication, or you may even need surgery to correct the problem. Your doctor will go through all of these options with you, and help you decide which is the best option for you.

If you drive for a living, then you may want to investigate being tested now for sleep conditions. It's a good idea even if it doesn't become mandatory for you. It'll help you be a safer worker, and you'll feel much better and healthier for it. After all, you always feel better after a good night's sleep.

As you can see, sleep disorders like sleep apnea can have a real effect on you as a driver, even if you don't realize it. That's why it's so important to get tested and get help for the condition, to keep the roads safe for everyone.

VirtuOx is the leader in home sleep tests and pulse oximetry.