The Center for Sleep Disorders
Treating Adults and Children
Snoring, insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders are more common than you think.
They can be a sign of a serious health condition and put you at risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and the ability to maintain a healthy weight.
The Center for Sleep Disorders is an accredited Sleep Center by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and offers a full range of services used in the evaluation, diagnosis and management of many sleep-related disorders in adults and children. The Center offers customized scheduling for your convenience.
The Importance of Choosing an Accredited Facility
An accreditation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) insures that you will receive quality care by people who are certified in the field of sleep medicine. Per AASM guidelines, each team member of The Center for Sleep Disorders must have ongoing continuous education and training. This applies to the technologists performing the tests as well as the physician who does the interpretation.
What You Can Expect
The first step in diagnosing a sleep disorder is to consult your physician or meet with one of our board-certified sleep physicians for an initial consultation, including a complete history and physical examination. If recommended, an overnight sleep study or home sleep apnea test (HSAT) will be arranged. During the study, small electrodes will be attached to the surface of your scalp, face and legs to record your sleep patterns.
The monitoring and testing procedures are pain free and the devices themselves will not restrict you from moving around. While you sleep, computerized monitoring systems will record brain waves, muscle activity, respiration and heart rhythms. Because it is a non-invasive procedure, no needles or catheters are used during the study.
For our pediatric patients, cribs are available and an extra bed is provided for the parent/guardian who will stay the night to comfort their child.
After evaluation and testing, results will be discussed in detail with you and your primary physician and together, with our specialists, a plan of care on how the disorder can be effectively managed through one or more of the following: weight loss, behavioral therapy, medication, surgery, and the use of the CPAP device during sleep will be developed.
Most insurance companies and managed care plans cover the cost of sleep testing and our staff will obtain the necessary pre-authorizations from your health plan.
The Feeling of Home
At our fully accredited Center, an overnight stay is much like staying in a hotel. Upon checking in between 7:00 and 8:30 pm you’ll be escorted to contemporary decorated private room with queen-sized firmness control bed, plush bedding, mini refrigerator, telephone, internet access, and remote controlled color flat-screen TV/DVD with cable.
Our rooms provide accommodations for those with physical disabilities and our friendly staff has experience caring for those with intellectual disabilities.
Awaiting when you rise the next morning will be fresh hot coffee and a light continental breakfast. A complete lunch will also be provided if you need to stay for daytime testing.
For those having an overnight sleep study, free parking is available at the Sleep Center lot.
Sleep Disorders Defined
Among the sleep disorders we treat are:
Sleep Apnea and Disruptive Snoring
Sleep apnea occurs when an individual repeatedly stops breathing during sleep. The most common form of the disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, is caused by a blockage of the airways that prevents the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Loud snoring is often a sign of underlying sleep apnea. Because people with sleep apnea do not breathe properly when they’re sleeping, they don’t get enough oxygen and have poor sleep quality, resulting in daytime sleepiness/ fatigue or even symptoms similar to mood disorder.
Restless Leg Syndrome
This disorder commonly causes symptoms of tingling/numbness or cramps in legs; severe towards the evening hours. Sometimes this can interfere with falling asleep. At times, a person may continue to have intermittent twitching of the legs or kicking once asleep that can interfere with the bed partner’s sleep.
Parasomnias
This condition involves sleep walking or episodes when a person acts out his or her dreams while still asleep. At times, it can be harmful to the person and the bed partner.
Insomnia
This condition occurs when a person is unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. It may be triggered by a number of factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, lifestyle habits and physical conditions, such as arthritis or other sleep disorders.
Narcolepsy
This disorder is characterized by sudden and excessive episodes of daytime sleepiness, as well as the brief loss of muscle control during the day, a symptom that also can occur when waking up or falling asleep. Vivid dreamlike experiences that are difficult to distinguish from reality also may be experienced.
Idiopathic Hypersomnia
A disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness that occurs without a known cause. Those with this condition experience a strong urge to sleep, even after adequate nighttime sleep, and may find it difficult to stay awake during the day, even after taking naps.
Our Services
Sleep Studies (Polysomnograms)
This involves spending a night in our sleep center. As part of the procedure, monitors are placed to record brain waves, muscle activity, breathing patterns and heart rhythms while you sleep.
Multiple Sleep Latency Test
This test usually follows an overnight sleep study. It involves giving a series of nap tests during the day to assess the degree of daytime sleepiness. The test is useful for diagnosing narcolepsy and other conditions that lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.
Maintenance Wakefulness Test (MWT)
For this test, you are in a quiet and dim environment and try to stay awake. It is used to measure one’s ability to stay awake, evaluate response to treatment for disorders associated with excessive sleepiness and assess alertness in those who must remain awake for safety reasons.
CPAP Titration
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may be asked to have an overnight study to attempt a trial with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a device used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. This consists of a small mask that is placed over the nose and is connected to a pressure device that acts as an air-pressure splint to prevent your airways from collapsing during sleep. At the time of discharge you will receive a brand-new CPAP mask; free mask fitting sessions are available. A support group for CPAP patients is offered on a quarterly basis.
Home Sleep Study
Using a home sleep unit, a study can now be performed in the comfort of one’s own home. Patients will need an office visit with the sleep specialist or their medical provider prior to the home sleep study.