PRESS RELEASE

Driving Drowsy as Dangerous as DUI

Northshore Sleep Medicine Promotes Healthy Sleep Habits During National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, Nov 8-14

Evanston, IL. –Monday is the start of National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week (November 8-14), a National Sleep Foundation public awareness campaign that was created to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while fatigued and, by doing so, to reduce the number of car crashes and to improve road safety.

Northshore Sleep Medicine owner and director Dr. Lisa Shives said,

"As the holidays approach, it is likely that there will be an increase in the number of sleepy drivers on the road. It is important to prepare yourself before long trips by getting an adequate amount of sleep in order to ensure that you are fully alert."

According to a study released by the AAA Foundation, the contribution of drowsy driving to motor vehicle accidents that result in injuries and deaths are not fully appreciated. Results of the study found that about one in eight deadly crashes is associated with drowsy driving and one in ten crashes resulting in occupant hospitalization was associated with driver fatigue.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that drowsy driving is related to at least 100,000 motor-vehicle accidents and more than 1,500 deaths per year in the United States. Shives noted that drivers often do not recognize the extent of their sleepiness and can inadvertently put themselves, their passengers and their fellow drivers at risk.

Tired drives often experience slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information. Research shows that being awake for more than 20 hours results in an impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent, the legal limit in all states.

While many people do not make an effort to get the sleep they need, others suffer from undiagnosed sleep disorders which disturb sleep and impair alertness while awake. The most common sleep disorders that affect Americans are insomnia and sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea can be so chronically sleep deprived that they can have uncontrollable sleep attacks or micro-sleeps, which can lead to traffic or work-related accidents.

Occasional sleep troubles are normal; symptoms typical of insomnia such as fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up early can be caused by illness or stress. If symptoms persist for longer than a month however, a sleep physician should be consulted in order to diagnose and treat the problem. Sleep apnea should be suspected if a person snores, gasps or stops breathing while asleep or if a person has unexplainable daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Physician owned and operated, Northshore Sleep Medicine is a private medical facility dedicated to providing comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of all major sleep disorders in adults and children. The free-standing center is designed completely for patient convenience and comfort. Sleep expert and founder Dr. Lisa Shives, MD, has been at the forefront of sleep health for nearly a decade. She speaks and blogs regularly on the latest developments in sleep research and sleep health. For more information visit www.nssleep.com or call 847.674.3600.

Release date: November 5, 2010