ABOUT 23 percent of adults in Shenzhen are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, or sleeplessness, a survey shows.

　　Obstructive sleep apnea, while not serious, can cause people to feel drowsy in the daytime. It can also have grave consequences where drivers doze off at the wheel and become vulnerable to traffic accidents.

　　Statistics show a bad night’s sleep can result in seven times more traffic accidents than a sound slumber.

　　Insomnia is the most common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Lu Yawen of the Kangning Hospital told the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

　　Excessive sleep was also a kind of obstructive sleep apnea, according to Dr. Lu.

　　The condition might be a symptom of either physical or psychological diseases and can only be cured when the cause of the disease is found, Dr. Lu said.

　　He suggested that people suffering from the disorder form good sleeping habits and take time to do physical exercises, although he admitted some patients still needed to take medicine prescribed by a doctor.

　　(Hu Zheye)