What is 'sleep screening'? Doctors believe it is an effective way to prevent accidents

Sleep Apnea: Citing the increased risk of road accidents due to the lack of sleep of truck drivers, an organization of doctors has suggested starting a system of regular 'sleep screening' (health check-up to detect sleep-related diseases) for all truck drivers in the country every two years.

Truck driver Accident: Citing the increased risk of road accidents due to insufficient sleep of truck drivers, an organization of doctors has suggested starting a system of regular 'sleep screening' (health checkup done to detect sleep related diseases) of these drivers every two years in the country. Dr. Rajesh Swarnkar, President of 'South East Asian Academy of Sleep Medicine' said on Sunday, 'The risk of road accidents is increasing due to lack of sleep of truck drivers. In view of this, Regional Transport Offices (RTO) should ask truck drivers by filling a form every two years what is their body mass index (BMI), do they feel sleepy during the day and do they snore while sleeping at night?'

He said that by analysing the answers to these questions and medical examination, it can be ascertained whether the truck drivers are suffering from 'Sleep Apnea' or other sleep related diseases. Quoting an estimate, Swarnkar said that if truck drivers sleep for seven to eight hours every day during work, the risk of road accidents can be reduced by 43 percent.

Read the case study

Dharmendra Sharma, a driver who is preparing his truck for a long journey in Indore's Transport Nagar, says that during work he is able to sleep only for two to four hours a day, due to which he remains lethargic and his concentration is also affected.

When we spoke to some other truck drivers in Transport Nagar, we found out that they too were facing the same sleep problems.

According to the drivers, they are under pressure to deliver the goods to the destination as soon as possible due to traffic jams and queues at toll booths. And if they park their truck on the roadside and sleep, they are afraid that diesel, spare parts and goods may get stolen from the vehicle. As a result, they are not able to get proper sleep during work.

Meanwhile, CL Mukati, president of the National RTO and Transport Committee of the All India Motor Transport Congress, the leading organization of transporters, has welcomed the idea of ​​'sleep screening' of truck drivers. He said that the Transport Department should conduct regular health checkups and 'sleep screening' of truck drivers by authorizing hospitals.

He said, 'If a driver is found to be suffering from any sleep disorder in this test, he should be given free treatment. If the government wants, our organization can also provide funds for this.'

Mukati said that the working hours of drivers should also be fixed. He said, 'The government should build rest houses for truck drivers every 200 km on highways so that they can sleep peacefully.'

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious disease related to sleep. Talking about the centre of sleep apnea, the person suffering from it gets disturbed many times in his sleep. In many cases, breathing can also stop. In case of sleep apnea, a person changes sides many times. According to a study, 13% of the country's population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. This figure is 19.7% in men, while in women it is 7.4%. In case of sleep apnea, a situation like stopping of breathing or changing sides can arise thirty or more times in an hour. This is a disorder which can also cause other problems related to sleep.