Sleep apnea has garnered widespread conversation after the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the engineer in control of the train in the Dec. 1 derailment has sleep apnea. In response to the finding, Metro-North will required all engineers to undergo a sleep apnea test.
According to Rudraraju, sleep apnea is a common disorder in which a person has one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while sleeping. Most people who have sleep apnea are not aware of the condition because it only occurs during sleep.
Leaving the condition untreated can include a greater potential for driving accidents and risks for cardiovascular disease.
The conversation is continuing on Northern Westchester Hospital's blog. To learn more about sleep apnea and the signs and symptoms, visit Northern Westchester Hospital's blog.