Waking up feeling energized and ready to go for the day? Or are your night time antics causing you midday fatigue?
Ok, so the bedroom antics that I’m referring to may not be the ones you are thinking about… Your sleeping skills are just as important as any, and maybe it’s time for you to step them up a notch.
Don’t let this happen to you…
Below is a list of common symptoms may seem to be the results from a bad night sleep, but could mean something more serious:
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Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
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Morning headaches
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Restless or fitful sleep
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Insomnia or nighttime awakenings
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Going to the bathroom frequently during the night
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Waking up feeling out of breath
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Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
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Moodiness, irritability, or depression
LINK to full list
These are a few examples of what you may feel in you suffer from Sleep Apnea. This disorder can be potentially very serious, and its side effects can even be life threatening. Mental fatigue, weight gain and heart disease can all be caused by sleep apnea (LINK to source).
Driver fatigue is a growing issue. According to http://www.dot.gov, the new HOS rules that went into effect July 1st were made to combat sleepiness amongst truckers, but for drivers suffering from this condition, having a mandatory break won’t help. Ian, a friend of BigRoad’s, brought up a very good point – “the industry is focused on the HOS regs with the # of lost hours and possibility of needing more trucks to fill the lost space..BUT there is NO comments on the effect on the Drivers Body Sleep Cycle..Having a mandatory time out is OK, but what if you do not get a proper sleep !! Sleep Apnea ..a very REAL Problem…”
Check out this video of a very close call. A fatigue driver narrowly avoid a possibly fatal accident…
So how can you fight driver fatigue and sleep apnea? Self-help treatment options include:
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Weight Loss
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Quiting smoking
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Avoiding alcohol, sleeping pill and sedatives
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Avoiding caffeine and heavy meals
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Maintaining regular sleeping hours
Because we live in a world where technology has allowed us to coin the term “there’s an app for that,” we have found a couple websites that list the top apps that can help you solve your sleeping troubles. Also, there is a link below to information about CPAP for truckers.
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Here is a LINK to a list of apps that can help you get to sleep
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Here is a LINK to the 5 best sleep tracking gadgets and apps
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Here is a LINK to a CPAP overview and how it can help truckers
For Canadian drivers, here’s some more advice for you from Ian – “I have Sleep Apnea and can vouch for the effectiveness of the CPAP program..a real pain to get used to the face mask but worth it in the end..OHIP or your Health Insurance will pay for the equipment approx. $1000.00 They have models for use in Trucks.
NOTE: Did you know that if you are diagnosed with the problem in Canada ..and do not sign up for the CPAP program ..they can pull your driving license, it is on the release form when you sign for the overnight evaluation sleep test. Call the local Sleep Clinic, they are everywhere now, for a copy of the form and pass it on to the drivers, most of them will not be aware of this condition..”
If you would like more information regarding the HOS rules change and how it affects you, please contact us here at BigRoad. We are here to make life on the road easy again.
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