The New York Times reports that a majority of deaths of firefighters are caused by heart attacks and traffic accidents, and sleep disorders may be a contributing factor.

Researchers screened a nationally representative sample of 7,000 firefighters in 66 fire departments for obstructive sleep disorder, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and shift work disorder. They interviewed the subjects and documented traffic accidents using police reports and detailed descriptions from subjects.

The study, published in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, found that about 37 percent of the firefighters screened positive for at least one sleep disorder, most for obstructive sleep apnea.

Read the full story at www.nytimes.com