Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Its effects on Commercial Truck Drivers
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that results in the cessation of breathing during periods of sleep. The apnea can last anywhere from a few seconds to greater than 10 seconds and may occur several times per hour. OSA occurs when the muscles of the throat that keep the airway open, relax to the point of collapse which causes a partial or complete obstruction of the airway. This results in the snoring or grunting sound that a person with OSA may make during their sleep.