For employees, benefits that include sick leaves are only normal. But while we are used to seeing common excuses as fever, flu and bowel movements as their reason for not reporting for work, you may be surprised that sleep apnea can become the next reason for being absent.

People who have sleep issues are expected to perform below par. And we all know that productivity needs full attention as well as well rested people who don’t sit on their tables and keep on yawning and showing that their eyes may be close to shutting down.

These people’s health are at risk and if companies do not accept the fact that sleep apnea is a growing problem that has to be dealt with in the same manner that standard illnesses are treated, they may find employees not being able to report at all nor produce what is expected from them as well when it comes to work-related activities.

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep, causing repeated breathing interruptions. Major symptoms include loud snoring and daytime sleepiness — the latter of which, studies show, may cause irritability, cloud thinking and concentration, or increase the risk of traffic accidents.

(Source) Reuters

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