Sleep Clinic
A restful night's sleep is not a luxury—it's an absolute necessity for good health. Inadequate sleep causes a variety of problems, from the obvious symptoms such as daytime drowsiness, to hidden risks such as increased chances of developing heart disease. Causes of poor sleep vary widely, including snoring, sleep apnea (interrupted breathing), restless leg syndrome, or even poor habits regarding your sleep routine, such as eating late at night, or watching TV in bed.
The need for sleep varies throughout the lifecycle. Most people realize that infants and children need significantly more sleep than adults. Teenagers, on the other hand, may not need as much sleep as children, but their sleep cycle may shift, causing them to feel wakeful late at night, while wanting to "sleep in" rather than bounding out of bed in the morning to prepare for school. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each day. The elderly may spend less time in deep sleep, and find they are easily awakened, however they often offset this by taking naps during the day. Average total sleep time for those over 65 actually increases.
Next Steps
Daytime sleepiness or excessive snoring can be signs of a more serious sleep disorder. Centerpoint Health is available to help you or a loved one get a better night's sleep.
Sleep disorders that interfere with a good night’s rest are more than an annoyance—they can greatly impact your health. You may be at risk for developing serious health conditions such as:
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Overweight
- Stroke
- Substance abuse
Additionally, you may have an increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
There's no reason to struggle to stay focused at work, or avoid participating in recreational activities because of drowsiness. You can get a good night's sleep. Centerpoint Health can help determine the cause of your sleep problems and provide the appropriate treatment.
Sleep Studies
According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy. These are conditions that make it hard for people to sleep at night or stay awake during the day. Like diet and exercise, sleep is critical to good health. When you sleep, your body rests and renews its energy levels, repairs muscles and tissues and rebuilds your immune system. Sleep disorders interrupt normal sleeping patterns and can lead to issues such as fatigue, irritability, depression, poor memory/concentration, and frequent illness.
What is a Sleep Lab?
Sleep studies are typically done in the sleep lab, located on the hospital campuses. We now offer at-home sleep studies for your convenience. Sleep studies are tests that watch what happens to your body during sleep and help identify what is causing your sleep problems. The most common sleep studies are:
- Polysomnogram. This test records several body functions during sleep, including brain activity, eye movement, oxygen levels, heart rate and rhythm, cessation of breathing, snoring, and body muscle movements.
- Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). This test measures how long it takes you to fall asleep and if the REM stage of sleep is present in a measured amount of time.
- Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT). This test requires a portable monitoring unit that patients take home overnight for diagnosis of sleep apnea.
What Happens During a Sleep Study?
When you arrive at the sleep lab for your sleep study, a sleep technician will greet you at the door and show you to your private suite, equipped with a bed, television and Wi-Fi access. You can make yourself at home and adjust the temperature to your comfort level.
As you prepare for bed, you will complete a questionnaire about your sleep habits. The technician will then place painless monitors on your head, chest and legs. These electrodes monitor vital signs, including your oxygen level, heart and breathing rates, and whether or not there are disruptions in your sleep cycle. Technicians also monitor snoring and movement of your arms and legs in your sleep.
Once the study is complete, your physician will receive a report on your sleeping patterns that you can review together to form a treatment plan.
Prepping for Your Sleep Lab Visit
Make sure your visit is as successful as possible with these get-ready dos and don’ts:
- Don’t drink or eat caffeine on the day of your sleep study.
- Do bring your favorite pillow and comfortable sleep clothes.
- Do feel free to bring electronic devices, such as an iPad or iPhone. We do ask, however, that you turn these devices off before going to sleep.
- Do take medicines prior to coming to the sleep lab, if possible. If you have any questions regarding your medicines, please call the sleep lab prior to your appointment.
- Do plan to spend at least nine hours at the sleep lab.
Sleep Problems Include:
- Sleep apnea, when an adult regularly stops breathing during sleep for 10 seconds or longer. This may be caused by blocked airflow during sleep, such as from narrowed airways. Or it may be caused by a problem with how the brain signals the breathing muscles to work.
- Problems staying awake, such as narcolepsy.
- Problems with nighttime behaviors, such as sleepwalking, night terrors or bed-wetting.
- Problems falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep (insomnia).
Sleep studies can also determine whether you have a problem with your stages of sleep. The two stages of sleep are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). Normally, NREM and REM alternate 4 to 5 times during a night's sleep. A change in this cycle may make it hard for you to sleep soundly.
Common Sleep Disorders
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common condition in which your breathing stops and restarts while you sleep. The most common type is called obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by anything that can narrow your airway—such as obesity, large tonsils, or even a change in hormone levels. If you snore loudly, or if your snoring is interrupted by silence followed by a sudden gasp or snort, it may be a sign you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea reduces the oxygen levels in your blood as you sleep. This can cause a strain on the heart and nervous system, and increases your risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart attack and stroke. The condition can be treated through lifestyle changes, surgery, or breathing devices, leading to higher quality of sleep and better overall health.
Insomnia
Insomnia is poor quality sleep or lack of sleep. Individuals with insomnia may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that causes a person to have difficulty staying awake—even when they are getting enough sleep at night. Narcolepsy can cause a person to suddenly fall asleep, without warning, multiple times during the day. These attacks are dangerous and disabling because they can occur at any time during any activity. If left undiagnosed or untreated, narcolepsy can interfere with psychological, social, and cognitive function and development and can inhibit academics, work, and social activities.
Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a disorder characterized by sensations in the legs such as tingling, creeping or burning and the uncontrollable urge to move the legs for relief. Symptoms generally occur when the individual is at rest and can range from mild discomfort to severe pain.
Quality Care, Close to Home
The Sleep Lab at Centerpoint Health - Georgetown is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. To learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation, please call 502.868.1221.
The Sleep Lab at Centerpoint Health - Paris is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Healthcare (ACHC) and provides diagnostic sleep studies such as polysomnogram, titrations, multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and multiple wake test (MWT). Our comfortable sleep lab facility has spacious, private rooms. Home sleep studies are also available. The sleep lab offers follow-up treatment for various sleep disorders. To learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation, please call 833.234.4050 (Option 4).
The Sleep Lab at Centerpoint Health - Winchester is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Healthcare, Inc. (ACHC), reflecting our commitment to ensure that patients with sleep disorders receive the highest quality of care. Sleep study appointments are available Monday through Saturday nights. Our state-of-the-art sleep lab has four spacious private rooms to make you feel right at home. The sleep lab is staffed by board-registered polysomnographers, respiratory therapists, RPSGT-credentialed sleep lab technicians, a board-certified sleep specialist, neurologist, and ear, nose and throat specialist. To make an appointment, call 833.234.4050 (Option 2).