Police officers are expected to take care of society; however, a recent study has shown that they may not be as physically and mentally prepared for their jobs as we’d like.
Posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study found that, in the U.S. and Canada, 40 percent of the surveyed police officers reported having symptoms of common sleep disorders, most notably sleep apnea and insomnia. According to the survey, out of all the sleep disorder diagnoses, the most common was sleep apnea, which affected a third of cops, followed by moderate or severe insomnia and shift work disorder.
Sleep Disorder Consequences
Of the police officers diagnosed with sleep apnea or another type of sleep
disorder, each was found to be at a higher risk of having anxiety, depression, fatigue, burn-out and a lack of energy and concentration. At the same time, these men and women were also more likely to commit administrative errors and safety violations. Even worse, these officers were also more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel.
Obviously, the diagnosis of a sleep disorder in a police officer or some other type of law enforcement position is highly dangerous and threatening for not only the officer but society. When policemen and policewomen are tirelessly completing their jobs with a lack of focus and energy, mistakes are bound to happen; and these mistakes could be fatal.
That said, diagnosis and treatment are crucial for – not only police officers – but anyone. Sleep apnea can lead to all sorts of health problems, and all sufferers require and deserve an effective sleep apnea treatment. Contact Dr. Berry online or call (303) 691-0267 today to learn more about sleep apnea, as well as the treatments that are offered.
