You asked for it, we
built it!
The new JCMH Sleep
Lab has moved to 1200 E. Maple, a beautifully remodeled
house right behind the main hospital building.
The JCMH
Sleep Lab employs three technicians and has the
ability to conduct two sleep studies per night.
The lab
will operate seven nights a week and eventually have the
capacity to offer daytime sleep studies as well.
Are you finding that a "good night’s
sleep" is hard to come by?
The symptoms of
sleep apnea, the general term for sleep disorders, are
brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Nearly 12
million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, according to
the National Institute of Health. Other symptoms are
excessive daytime fatigue, snoring, falling asleep easily
and sometimes at inappropriate places or times.
Untreated sleep
apnea can lead to high blood pressure and other
cardiovascular diseases, memory problems, weight gain,
impotency, headaches, depression, car accidents and job
impairment.
Risk Factors
Male
Overweight
Over 40
Race
Smoking
Alcohol Abuse
These are just a few
factors, but sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age,
including children.
What to expect
A sleep study is an overnight procedure, a
polysomnogram, inside the JCMH Sleep Lab. Electrodes are connected to the patient’s
head and chest to measure brain waves, eye and chin
movement, stages of sleep and heart rate and rhythm. A
chest band measures breathing movement and additional
monitors measure oxygen levels as well as leg movements.
The monitors are not painful and no needles are involved
in the sleep study. JCMH Sleep Lab staff accommodates a
parent staying overnight with a child who is having a
sleep study performed. This data is analyzed and reviewed
by a physician, who then makes appropriate recommendations
to manage the condition.
Patients are
"tucked in" for a night of rest and observation at 8:30 p.m.
The setup process takes forty minutes, then the observation
begins. Monitoring equipment is placed on the patient
that allows observation of sleeping patterns. The sleep
study takes 6 to 7 hours. Most insurances cover the
test.
Patients will attend a follow-up
appointment with their personal physician to learn the
results of the study.
Treatment
Most common treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP or BiPAP
therapy (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), although
there are three types of sleep apnea; Obstructive Sleep
Apnea, Central Sleep Apnea, and Mixed Sleep Apnea.
Most patients experience a dramatic resolution of
their symptoms following a sleep study with treatment.
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Signs & Symptoms
•Do you snore?
•Do you feel very sleepy or feel like nodding off during the
day?
•Does your partner tell you that you stop breathing during
sleep?
•Do you feel tired when you wake up?
• Do you often wake up with headaches?
• Is it hard to stay awake while driving?
If you or your partner answer yes to any of these questions,
you could have
sleep apnea and should talk to your
physician.
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