A Sleep Study in Jupiter Could Save Your Life!

In the past couple of years, two commuter train crashes have been linked to the crew members’ fatigue due to sleep apnea. Unfortunately, they happened shortly after the U.S. government reversed its policy on requiring train operators to undergo a sleep study for the disorder, bringing to light just how dangerous untreated sleep apnea can be. Could a sleep study have prevented these crashes?

The Facts

On September 29^th, 2016, a commuter train crashed into the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey, killing one bystander. The crash was ultimately ruled to be caused by the engineer falling asleep at the wheel, not slowing the train when needed. After the crash, they were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, though it was shown that a 2013 screening revealed that they had a number of risk factors for OSA even then. A sleep study was never performed, and thus their condition was never treated.

Just three months later in January 2017, another train crash occurred in Brooklyn when a Long Island Rail Road train went past the end of the track and hit the Atlantic Terminal, injuring over 100 people. Once again, the cause of the accident was the engineer falling asleep while driving likely due to sleep apnea. Long Island Rail Road did not screen him or any other driver for sleep apnea before the crash, but they say that they have now begun doing so.

What This Teaches Us

The National Transportation Safety Board ruled that if the engineers in both accidents had undergone a preliminary sleep study, they would have likely been diagnosed with sleep apnea. They would have then gotten treatment or been taken off of duty, both of which would have helped avoid these accidents.

Basically, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to life-ending consequences when you combine sleeplessness with driving…something millions of people do every day.

According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, about 20 million Americans are currently dealing with sleep apnea, and up to 80% are untreated because they are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. For many people, this means every time they get on the road, they, along with anyone riding with them, are literally risking their lives.

What You Can Do

If you or a loved one are exhibiting the symptoms of sleep apnea (which you can learn all about here), you should have a sleep study performed as soon as possible before an accident like this happens.

One of the quickest and simplest ways to start this process is to take our short sleep test. These 8 “Yes or No” questions take less than a minute to complete, and they will let our team know how at risk a person is for sleep apnea. After you have completed the test, our team will evaluate your answers and contact you within 24 hours. If we believe that you may have sleep apnea, we can then organize for you to get a sleep study with one of our partner sleep doctors. From there, we can work with them to get you the appropriate treatment, such as oral appliance therapy.

Sleep apnea can often lead to tragedy, but it can easily be stopped with the right treatment. The first step to getting sleep apnea treatment in Jupiter? A sleep study! Be sure to seek out professional help if you even have an inkling that you have sleep apnea. It could literally save your life.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a certified sleep dentist who has been serving Jupiter for over 30 years. Every day at his practice, he helps people get the sleep studies they need so he can provide safe, effective, and custom-made treatment. To learn more about how to get a sleep study and overcome sleep apnea, contact him today.