One-fourth of men and 10% of women experience some form of sleep breathing disorders, said Khosrow Sadeqniat, head of the Work and Environment Health Center affiliated to the Health Ministry. “The condition may last up to 10 seconds, but in those who suffer from chronic sleep apnea (a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts), the condition might last so long as to awaken them,” he told IRNA. The condition manifests itself in drowsiness throughout the day which is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents, Sadeqniat said. It can also cause irritability, headaches, high blood pressure, and increased chances of sudden death. Sleep breathing disorders are caused by a number of factors including urban life, air or noise pollution, daily stress, as well as working shifts.
