Sleep Apnea and DOT requirements for Commercial Drivers

During your DOT physical a medical provider may suspect that you have several risk factors for sleep apnea given your health history and physical exam. If that is the case, do not be alarmed.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes repeated disruptions in a normal breathing pattern during sleep. Breathing pauses can last up to 10 seconds and occur up to 400 times per night. If left untreated and undiagnosed, sleep apnea is a significant health risk that is potentially life threatening.

Nearly one-third or 28% of Commercial Truck Drivers have mild to severe sleep apnea.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has pulmonary guidelines to allow for medical examiners to recommend further evaluation into the determination of respiratory function impairments such as sleep apnea. While FMCSA regulations do not specifically call out sleep apnea, they do prescribe that a person with a medical history or clinical diagnosis of any condition that interferes with their ability to drive safely cannot be medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce.

Once successfully treated, a driver may regain their “medically-qualified-to-drive” status. The good news is that most cases of sleep apnea can be treated successfully.

Having sleep apnea can affect a driver’s alertness and daytime performance. Untreated sleep apnea can:

• Make it difficult for you to stay awake
• Impair your ability to focus your eyes
• Impair your reaction time while driving

Studies have indicated that people with untreated sleep apnea have an increased risk of being involved in a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash.

Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and genders, and there are several risk factors that may put you at higher risk:

• A family history of sleep apnea
• Having a small upper airway
• Being overweight
• Having a recessed chin, small jaw, or a large overbite
• A large neck size (17 inches or greater for men, 16 inches or greater for women)
• Smoking and alcohol use
• Being age 40 or older
• Ethnicity Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

• Loud snoring
• Morning headaches and nausea
• Gasping or choking while sleeping
• Loss of sex drive/impotence
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Irritability and/or feelings of depression
• Disturbed sleep
• Concentration and memory problems
• Frequent nighttime urination

What’s Next?

If during your DOT physical the medical examiner identifies you as having certain risk factors relating to sleep apnea, Cottage Urgent Care will make a referral to your primary physician for a recommended sleep study.