FAA Medical and Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Dr. Clayton Cowl

Your sleep—or lack thereof—can prevent you from flying and being able to support your family. But the worst part?  The worst part is that you may never even think obstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for grounding you!  Why?  Well, the unfortunate truth is people with sleep apnea are usually the last to know. And this spells trouble for pilots.  That's the bad news.  The good news?  In this episode, Dr. Clayton Cowl from the Mayo Clinic joins us to reveal why the FAA cares about sleep apnea, how sleep apnea can cause severe health problems, and how you can keep your pilot's license if you have sleep apnea. Listen now! Show highlights include:  The insidious way your sleep can creep up on you and prevent you from flying (without you even realizing it) (8:32)  Why the FAA sees obstructive sleep apnea as a potential detriment to your flight safety (9:19)  The severe downstream effects of obstructive sleep apnea that will make you want to make healthier lifestyle choices immediately (9:37)  Do you have hypertension? Here's why you probably also have obstructive sleep apnea (and vice versa) (10:05)  How sleep apnea sabotages your sleep even when you think you get a full 8 hours of sleep (12:14)  2 ways you can get obstructive sleep apnea even if you're at a healthy weight (17:54)  Why being a veteran alerts the FAA that you may have sleep apnea (22:33)  Does having sleep apnea mean you're forever doomed to the ground, unable to support your family? No, and here's what you can do if you have sleep apnea… (24:49)  How to get an aircraft preflight inspection for your body and health (without risking your flight status) (34:55)  For more information or to get in touch with us, go to https://thepilotlawyer.com/contact/