Posted: | May 5, 2016 12:22 PM |
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From: | Representative Maria P. Donatucci |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Resolution – Designating the Month of May 2016 as “Sleep Apnea Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania |
In the near future, I intend to introduce a resolution designating May 2016 as “Sleep Apnea Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. Sleep apnea is a common chronic disorder which affects more than 18 million adults and 2-3% of children in the United States. Individuals who suffer from this disorder experience pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while sleeping, causing individuals to move in and out of deep sleep. This may result in poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness. The most prominent risk factors for sleep apnea include having a small upper airway, recessed chin, small jaw, large overbite, and large neck size as well as obesity, age, smoking, and alcohol use. Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and, if left untreated, can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, automobile accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, diabetes, depression, and other ailments. Please join me in promoting awareness of sleep apnea and encouraging individuals who believe they suffer from the disorder to seek medical testing and treatment by recognizing May 2016 as “Sleep Apnea Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. |
Introduced as HR884