[Sleep apnea and the work site]

The sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) is characterised by somatic, in particular cardiopulmonary and psychosocial, symptoms, the latter severely impairing the patient's social life. Excessive daytime somnolence and the resulting problems severely stress patients with SAS. Among 24 patients with SAS, 79.2% stated that they fell asleep during the day, frequently in 41.8% and occasionally in 37.4%. In addition, 70.8% of the patients with SA did not feel adequately rested on waking in the morning. Of the 24 patients, 17 had a job, and 11 of these experienced difficulty staying awake at the workplace. Suitable timely treatment (for example, with n-CPAP) improves not only the somatic, but also the neuropsychological symptoms.