Sleep Medicine

Millions ask every day, “Why don’t I sleep well?” The most likely answer is that they have a sleep disorder. Quality sleep is essential in maintaining good health. If you are suffering with a sleep problem, we urge you to discuss it with your family physician or contact us.

What is a Sleep Study?

A Sleep Study is a non-invasive, painless diagnostic test to determine if you have a sleep disorder. Sleep Studies can be performed in a sleep lab, doctor’s office or in your home depending on your personal health history and insurance coverage.

About The Sleep Study

Sleep studies are performed to evaluate snoring, breathing, arousals, movements, and certain behaviors during sleep. In addition, studies are performed to assess sleepiness or one’s ability to stay awake.

The sleep technologist will gently apply sensors on your head, face, and body to closely monitor and record your brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate and rhythm during sleep. After the sleep study is completed and “scored,” the sleep physician will review the recording in order to establish a diagnosis and treatment plan, which will be reviewed with you in a follow-up visit.

Common Sleep Disorders

Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. It is characterized by loud snoring with gasping, snorting, or pauses in breathing during sleep. Often times the person suffering from sleep apnea will complain of being very tired after sleeping all night – even more tired than when they went to bed. The most widely used and effective treatment for sleep apnea is positive airway pressure therapy. Other treatment options include weight loss, positional therapy, an oral appliance, or surgery.

Insomnia:

Insomnia is the most common of all sleep disorders. The chief complaint is difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. It can be a symptom of another disorder or a primary condition. Depression and pain frequently make the condition worse.

Restless Leg Syndrome:

Restless Leg Syndrome is a disagreeable feeling in the legs that can only be relieved by moving them. The symptoms are often described as creepy-crawly, twitching, or an itching sensation. This most often occurs at night, making it difficult to rest or sleep.

Narcolepsy:

Narcolepsy is a condition that causes overwhelming sleepiness – “sleep attacks.” Other symptoms associated with narcolepsy are cataplexy, vivid dreaming and sleep paralysis.

Inadequate Sleep Hygiene:

Inadequate Sleep Hygiene is a sleep disorder caused by bad sleep habits, unhealthy pre-sleep rituals, and/or a poor sleep environment.

Insufficient Sleep Syndrome*:

Insufficient Sleep Syndrome is a disorder that occurs when an individual persistently fails to obtain sufficient sleep without the presence of another sleep disturbance.

*Sleep disorders that shorten sleep time or disrupt sleep can place you at a higher risk for weight gain, depression, high blood pressure, changes in blood sugar, heart disease, stroke, and fatigue-related accidents.

Childhood Sleep Disorders:

Childhood Sleep Disorders are those disorders common to children ages 2-18, including obstructive sleep apnea, sleep-related movement disorders, such as restless legs syndrome, as well as altered sleep patterns, sleep terrors and sleepwalking.