Should I Get Tested?

You have probably had some hairy moments getting cut-up by other trucks on the motorway, you’ve been late making drops and sometimes found it hard to stay awake and alert; at the back of your mind, you feel there may be something wrong, but you don’t want the boss to find out because you’ll probably lose your job if he does.

Is it the job, with all the form-filling, the tachograph, the VOSA check-points, spending nights parked in a lay-by, working-times, the customers or the boss nagging you to death when you get back to the depot, or is it you?

Be honest and ask yourself the following ten questions:

1. Driving on a long journey, do you find yourself sometimes fighting to stay awake?

2. Have you ever missed a turning or driven to the wrong place because you were so pre-occupied with trying to stay alert?

3. Do you wake up in a morning with a dreadful headache and feel you don’t want to face the day?

4. If you were the front-seat passenger on a car-journey, would you chat with the driver and help with giving directions, or would you drop off to sleep?

5. Has your wife/partner ever told you that you stop breathing while you’re asleep?

6. When was the last time you went to the cinema and watched a film all the way through without falling asleep?

7. Do you find your kids annoying when they ask you to play with them?

8. Are intimate moments with your spouse/partner becoming less frequent?

9. Is your idea of a night’s entertainment a good old knees-up down the Rose & Crown with your mates and their wives, or fast asleep in front of the telly?

10. Has anyone ever said to you that you need to lose weight?

Think about these questions and give your answers honestly.  If you can truthfully answer ‘yes’ to five or more there is a strong chance you have a sleeping disorder that goes by the name of ‘Obstructive Sleep Apnoea’ (OSA for short).  OSA is more common than people realise, and many people who have it don’t know what is wrong. Statistically, the driver with OSA is more of a danger than a drunk driver.

The good thing about OSA is that treatment is available throughout the UK, no medication or surgery is involved, it is very effective and brings about a remarkably positive change in those who have it.

The bad thing about OSA is that, without treatment, it will develop into far more serious life-threatening conditions, causing diabetes, strokes, heart-failure, etc.

Once you are diagnosed and receiving treatment, these risks are minimised and you will feel a whole lot better about socialising with friends and family and better about doing your job.

You will also become a much safer driver.