Sleepy On-Duty Police Officers: A Dangerous Truth

At some point in time, we’ve all gone to work with a little less sleep than we wanted, which usually results in the consumption of plenty of caffeine to keep us going. While being tired at the job is rarely a cause for high concern – especially when the problem is a rare occurrence – there are some careers where workers simply cannot afford to be tired, drowsy, or fatigued. This is especially true for police officers, who put their lives on the line protecting society. Unfortunately, a recent study suggests that the American police force may not be getting enough sleep.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), determined that the police force in both the U.S. and Canada is nothing short of tired. According to the survey, 40 percent of police officers suffer from a sleep disorder; the most common being sleep apnea, which affected a third of cops, followed by moderate or severe insomnia and shift work disorder, which consists of sleepiness and insomnia associated with working at night.

Tired Police a Threat to Society

Out of the 40 percent of police officers found to be suffering from a sleep disorder, each was also determined to be at a higher risk of suffering from depression, anxiety, a lack of energy, and fatigue. Along with these findings, researchers also determined that these officers had a higher chance of committing both safety and administrative errors along with an increased chance of falling asleep at the wheel.

Sleep Apnea Treatment Important for Everyone

Although sleep apnea treatment may be more critical for men and women in uniform, it is also important for average citizens, regardless of their profession. Sleep apnea symptoms don’t just make life miserable; the condition endangers health, whether you’re a police officer, a computer programmer or a work-at-home mom.

To learn more about sleep apnea treatment, information is only a phone call or email away. To get started, just contact Dr. Siegel’s office at your earliest convenience.