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Local residents are seriously sleepy
30 percent of Philadelphians may have underlying sleep disorder:
survey
Awake In Philly kicks
off Excessive Sleepiness Awareness Week
 PHILADELPHIA
(June 3, 2004) - A recent survey of Philadelphia area residents
revealed that while 30 percent of Philadelphia area residents are
excessively sleepy, only about one-third of these individuals have
sought medical attention for diagnosis or treatment for this symptom.
This response indicates that people may not understand that
their sleepiness could be the sign of an underlying medical condition.
The survey, conducted by Innovative Media Research
and sponsored by Awake In Philly, a local community education group
focused on sleep and sleep disorders, also showed that sleepiness
could be affecting local residents' ability to safely and successfully
accomplish daily tasks. In fact, 37 percent of all respondents reported
having fallen asleep while on the job, and 16 percent reported having
dozed off while driving an automobile at least twice in the past 12
months.
Excessive sleepiness (ES) is the primary -- and often the
most debilitating -- symptom associated with three common sleep disorders:
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), and
narcolepsy. Experts estimate that ES affects more than 14.5 million
Americans -- or an estimated five percent of the United States population.
Unfortunately, 50 to 90 percent of these cases go undiagnosed and,
therefore, untreated.
"Many people in our community just accept being tired and
are unaware of the seriousness of excessive sleepiness," said Karl
Doghramji, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia. "We need to encourage
these individuals to seek medical attention and a proper diagnosis
because treatment options are available that can bring relief, and
potentially decrease the rise of unnecessary accidents and other dangerous
consequences."
Snoring and still sleepy? These
symptoms may signal something more serious
One common and often unrecognized sleep disorder is obstructive
sleep apnea (OSA). With this condition, sleep disruption is more often
caused by airway obstruction -- usually the relaxation and collapse
of the soft tissue in the back of the throat during sleep. Symptoms
of OSA may include restless sleep; loud, heavy snoring (often interrupted
by silence and then gasps); falling asleep during the day (at work,
watching TV, etc.); morning headaches; loss of energy; trouble concentrating;
irritability; forgetfulness; mood or behavior changes; anxiety or
depression; and obesity. Left untreated, OSA may lead to hypertension
(high blood pressure), coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction
(heart attack), stroke, memory loss, and other serious consequences.
The Awake In Philly survey showed that more than
40 percent of Philadelphia area residents surveyed reported they snore;
yet only five percent of these individuals have sought medical attention.
Wake up call ... Shift work may
be affecting your health
People who frequently rotate shifts or work at night are
at particular risk for excessive sleepiness and another serious medical
condition called shift work sleep disorder (SWSD). SWSD is defined
as a persistent or recurrent pattern of sleep disruption, leading
to excessive sleepiness or insomnia that is due to a mismatch between
the sleep-wake pattern. Some estimates show sleepy workers cost U.S.
businesses $18 billion annually with 50 percent of all accidents at
work and 25 percent of all accidents, overall, being caused by ES.
According to the Awake In Philly survey, more
than 35 percent of Philadelphians surveyed work at night or work rotating
shifts. Almost 40 percent of these individuals reported having fallen
asleep while on the job, and 64 percent reported difficulty concentrating
two or more times a week.
Excessive Sleepiness Awareness
Week
To help raise awareness of ES and sleep disorders,
as well as encourage people to seek diagnosis and treatment, Awake
In Philly is launching Excessive Sleepiness Awareness Week, which
runs from June 5 through June 11, 2004. The timing couldn't be better
for this campaign.
During the week, Philadelphia will host the country's
top sleep meeting, the 18th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), which will bring more than 300 sleep specialists
to the area.
As part of this initiative, Awake In Philly and program
co-sponsor Cephalon, Inc., will distribute ES information to morning
and afternoon commuters throughout Center City. Mayor John Street
has issued a proclamation, and City Councilman David Cohen issued
a citation declaring the week of June 5 through June 11 as Excessive
Sleepiness Awareness Week in Philadelphia. In addition, the PECO Crown
Lights Display will include information about ES and the week's activities.
"Through this campaign, we hope more people will reflect
upon their own levels of sleepiness, assess how this sleepiness may
be affecting their work, families, and health, and, if necessary,
seek medical advice," said Dave Jackson, founder of Awake In Philly.
To learn more about Excessive Sleepiness Awareness
Week, ES, and sleep disorders, please visit http://www.AwakeInPhilly.org/.
About Awake In Philly
Awake In Philly is a mutual-help community education group
for people coping with a variety of sleep-related disorders. Providing
a forum for education and support for patients, family members, and
others interested in the sleep disorder community is the main goal.
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