Why do so many veterans have sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is especially common among veterans, whose exposure to materials such as dust and fumes, as well as mental anxiety related to combat, make them more likely to develop chronic health conditions.

Why is sleep apnea so common in military?

All forms of sleep apnea can be problematic for veterans. Many cases are not related to obesity, poor health, or aging. Instead, they are related to neurological or physical damage suffered during service. They could also be the result of substance abuse.

What can cause sleep apnea in veterans?

Is sleep apnea common in veterans?

Sleep apnea is a common occurrence among veterans. In fact, veterans are four times more likely than other Americans to develop sleep apnea. Both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have been found to increase the chances of a veteran developing some type of sleep disorder.

Is sleep apnea caused by military service?

A veteran can also establish service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis. This means that a veteran has an already service-connected disability that caused the veteran to have sleep apnea. In this case, there must be a medical nexus to link the sleep apnea to their already service-connected disability.

How to Get Sleep Apnea VA Disability Benefits

Is it hard to get VA disability for sleep apnea?

How Does the VA Evaluate Sleep Apnea? The VA evaluates sleep apnea under 38 C.F.R. § 4.97-13, Code 6847 as Sleep Apnea Syndromes (obstructive, central, mixed). The lowest possible rating, 0 percent, does not qualify you for any monthly compensation, but it makes you eligible for other benefits, such as healthcare.

Is sleep apnea a permanent VA disability?

Can the VA Take Away My Sleep Apnea Rating? Since the condition is not considered a permanent VA disability, you can have your rating taken away by the VA. If the condition resolves over time, and you are reevaluated to not have sleep apnea any more, you will no longer be able to claim that rating for compensation.

Is sleep apnea still 50 disability?

Right now, service-connected sleep apnea is assigned a 50 percent rating if you are prescribed a CPAP machine. If you have a CPAP and you also have chronic respiratory failure or similar conditions, you can get a 100 percent rating.

Does sleep apnea go away?

For the most part, sleep apnea is a chronic condition that does not go away. Anatomy tends to remain fixed, especially after adolescence has ended. Therefore, children with sleep apnea may retain hope for the condition being successfully and definitively treated.

How much VA disability do you get for sleep apnea?

A veteran may be eligible for disability benefits if they can demonstrate that their sleep apnea is connected to their service. Under the VA Ratings Schedule, a veteran with sleep apnea may be entitled to between 0% and 100% benefits based on their condition.

Can you get a VA rating for insomnia and sleep apnea?

VA offers service-connected compensation for multiple sleep disturbances, including sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy. Importantly, service connection for sleep disorders can be awarded on a direct, secondary, or presumptive basis.

Is sleep apnea caused by PTSD?

Research shows that veterans with PTSD have a higher risk of developing sleep apnea. There is also a direct correlation regarding the severity of the two conditions insofar as the more severe a veteran's PTSD is, the more severe their sleep apnea will be.

Is PTSD and sleep apnea connected?

The Link Between PTSD and Sleep Apnea

People who have both OSA and PTSD are more likely to have more severe PTSD symptoms. Sleep-disordered breathing can be a sign of untreated OSA, which is associated with worse symptoms of PTSD, as well as an increased risk of heart failure, dementia, and certain cancers.

Why do veterans have sleep problems?

Veterans have much higher insomnia rates than non-Veterans

This issue could stem from several aspects of military life, such as irregular sleep schedules during active duty and harsh living conditions. Physical and psychological injury and post-deployment trouble reintegrating into civilian life may also play a part.

Why do veterans sleep on the floor?

It "is reportedly used by the U.S. Army to help [soldiers] fall asleep when in situations that are less than peaceful, such as on battlefields," claims the article, which goes on to detail the technique's four simple steps: Relax the muscles in your face, including tongue, jaw, and the muscles around the eyes.

Will the VA pay for my CPAP machine?

If you do receive a rating of 50% or higher, you can get a CPAP machine provided to you by the VA on top of your benefits. Regarding CPAP machines, a recent VA report on VHA health care spending for sleep apnea has called on the VA to implement spending reforms cutting up to $200 million over the next 5 years.

Does sleep apnea shorten life span?

Risks of obstructive sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is dangerous because if untreated, it leads to high blood pressure and is associated with an increased chance of heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure. Studies have shown that sleep apnea can decrease life expectancy by several years.

What foods cause sleep apnea?

How long can you live with sleep apnea?

If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can shorten your life from anywhere between 12-15 years.

What is the VA 55 year rule?

What is the VA 55-year-old rule? Veterans who receive VA disability benefits for service-connected conditions are exempt from periodic future examinations once they turn 55 years old. This includes veterans who will be 55 by the date of a future examination, according to the VA Adjudication Procedures Manual.

Will VA disability ever go away?

If VA assigns you a 100% rating, it has the option of also designating you permanently and totally disabled. If you receive this designation, your benefits are safe for the rest of your life. The only exception is if VA later determines you obtained your benefits via fraud.

How do I get a 100% VA rating?

If veterans are trying to get a 100 percent VA disability rating, and they do not have a 100 percent rating for any one service-connected condition, the only way to get there is to reach a combined disability rating of 95 percent or higher according to VA math.

What is the VA 5 year rule?

The VA disability rating 5-year rule states that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot reduce a veteran's disability rating if it has been in place for five years or more unless the condition shows sustained improvement over time. In this situation, the veteran's rating is considered a stabilized rating.

Is snoring a VA disability?

While snoring alone is not enough to get you VA benefits, it may be a symptom of a more significant problem. Snoring is included as one of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a compensable claim under the Code of Federal Regulations. Some other OSA symptoms include: Daytime fatigue.

What happens to my VA disability when I turn 65?

Even after veterans reach full retirement age, VA's disability payments continue at the same level. By contrast, the income that people receive after they retire (from Social Security or private pensions) usually is less than their earnings from wages and salary before retirement.