Portable oxygen 'can prevent drowsiness at the wheel'
Long-distance drivers may want to invest in portable oxygen as one man has revealed his frightening experience of falling asleep at the wheel.
Roy Pearson told the Daily Mail of his lucky escape, which happened as a result of obstructive sleep apnoea following the relaxation of the muscles at the back of his throat.
The condition deprives sufferers of oxygen and causes them to wake up as they struggle to breathe.
Mr Pearson was travelling at 75 mph when he almost collided with a lorry in front of him on the motorway.
However, the vehicle had its trailer down and he drove up the ramp and into the back of the truck.
Of the potentially serious incident, the motorist said: "It was a chilling wake-up call to get my sleep problems sorted out."
Tom McClanahan recently revealed his experiences of taking part in a sleep study for MyWabashvalley.com, where he stated an oxygen mask could be used to help people with sleep apnoea better control the disorder.
Posted by Stewart Elliott
01/06/2010 21:32:50
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