Shaun Abreu
0:05:42
Good morning, and thank you, chair Shulman, for giving me the opportunity to speak about my bill today.
0:05:47
Over a year ago, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.
0:05:50
It all started when a friend heard me snoring and suggested I get tested.
0:05:55
A few weeks later, I was officially diagnosed and began treatment.
0:05:58
My story isn't unique.
0:06:01
Many people discover that they have sleep apnea after a friend or a partner notices them snoring or gasping for air during the night.
0:06:09
Sleep apnea affects an estimated 30,000,000 people nationwide, yet approximately 80% of these cases, about 23,000,000 remain undiagnosed.
0:06:20
Based on the data we've been able to find, we suspect that around a quarter of New Yorkers aged 30 to 70 could be living with this condition.
0:06:28
In some ways, I'm fortunate.
0:06:30
My loud sleep apnea snore alerted those close to me that something was wrong, but not everyone has obvious symptoms.
0:06:39
For example, women with sleep apnea are less likely to experience loud snoring as a symptom.
0:06:45
Other less common symptoms of sleep apnea include fatigue, headaches, and unexplained weight gain, and a dry mouth or so sore throat.
0:06:54
These symptoms can be easily overlooked or mistaken for other issues, but they can take a toll over time, affecting daily life and well-being.
0:07:04
Untreated sleep apnea doesn't just affect your physical health.
0:07:08
It impacts your mental health and quality of life.
0:07:11
It can make it harder to focus at work, lead to mood swings or irritability, and even take away time from your family.
0:07:20
Sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea can also be dangerous, increasing the risk of accidents, such as falling asleep at the wheel.
0:07:27
And over the long term, untreated sleep apnea significantly raises the risk of conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
0:07:36
Since getting treatment, I've experienced firsthand how life changing it can be to address sleep apnea.
0:07:42
I sleep more restfully, my mood has improved, and I have more energy during the day.
0:07:48
Most importantly, I'm able to show up for my personal and professional life in ways that I couldn't before.
0:07:53
This is why awareness and access to screening are so crucial.
0:07:57
That's why I'm proud to sponsor intro 1047 and would like to thank chair Schoeman for being a co prime on this bill.
0:08:05
This legislation would establish a pilot program for sleep apnea screening and an awareness campaign to educate the public about the disease and available treatments.
0:08:14
Just because you're snoring doesn't mean you're having good sleep.
0:08:17
It's more than a snore.
0:08:19
That's what this campaign is about.
0:08:21
It's more than a snore.
