Sleep Medicine

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Sleep is essential to health and well-being, yet many Americans have trouble getting a good night's rest. If the occasional sleepless night, groggy morning or head-bobbing day becomes an ongoing problem, the culprit may be a sleep disorder.

Lack of restful sleep can make even the simplest tasks more difficult, causing:

• Memory loss
• Inability to concentrate
• Irritability
• Depression
• Poor job performance
• Relationship issues

Sleep disorders can also be life-threatening because they create a greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Did you know?
Fifty to 70 million U.S. adults have some type of sleep or wakefulness disorder; 40 million adults are undiagnosed.
Source: The National Sleep Foundation

Sleep Studies Detect Common Disorders
Most sleep disorders can be managed if properly diagnosed and treated. Lutheran Hospital's experienced sleep center staff - physician, sleep technologists and respiratory therapists - can help determine the cause of a sleep disorder, its effects on daily living and how to treat it.

The most common sleep disorders identified through sleep studies are:

• Chronic insomnia: The inability to fall asleep or remain asleep. This may be caused by depression, stress, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, periodic limb movements or the misuse of sleeping aids.
• Sleep apnea: Causes a person to stop breathing frequently throughout the night. Loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness are symptoms of sleep apnea.
• Narcolepsy: Causes a person to feel excessively sleepy or to fall asleep suddenly during the day, often at inappropriate times.
• Restless legs syndrome: Creates a "crawling" sensation in the legs when the patient lies down to sleep, but disappears once the legs move.
• Periodic limb movements: Causes the arms and legs to jerk repeatedly during sleep, resulting in a tired feeling in the morning. Most people are not aware of their repeated limb movements.
• Sleepwalking: May cause a person to get out of bed and walk without full consciousness.

For additional information or to schedule a sleep study for an infant, child or adult, call Lutheran Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center at (260) 435-7403.

Lutheran Hospital's sleep disorders center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The center is also accredited for home sleep apnea testing.

About the Sleep Disorders Center

Sleep studies take place in private, comfortable, suite-style rooms within Lutheran Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center. Patients are encouraged to bring comfortable pajamas and slippers and will typically stay overnight, although both day and evening sleep studies are available.

During testing, sleep cycles are monitored by a technician located in a separate room. Brain and muscle activity, breathing patterns and heart rate are recorded. Each study takes about eight hours. Results are interpreted by the center's medical specialist and a treatment plan is developed in connection with the referring physician.

Home Sleep Testing

Home sleep testing can be an option for certain initial sleep disorder evaluations and may be required by insurance before additional testing or treatment in a sleep center. If the initial study produces a positive result for sleep apnea, a return visit to the center may be necessary.

For additional information or to schedule a sleep study, call Lutheran Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center at (260) 435-7403 .

Links of Interest

American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975 as the Association of Sleep Disorders Centers, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is the only professional society that is dedicated exclusively to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine.

American Board of Sleep Medicine
The American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) was established to encourage the study, improve the practice, elevate the standards of sleep medicine, and issue certificates of special knowledge in sleep medicine to physicians and PhDs in related fields.

American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) is a professional membership organization promoting the use and research of oral appliances and oral surgery for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing and provides training and resources for those who work directly with patients.

American Sleep Apnea Association
The American Sleep Apnea Association is dedicated to reducing injury, disability, and death from sleep apnea and to enhancing the well-being of those affected by this common disorder.

Narcolepsy Network, Inc.
The work of the Network goes beyond each of us who has narcolepsy. It extends to the media, governmental agencies, researchers, physicians and other health care professionals as well as to family and friends.

The National Sleep Foundation
The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Americans who suffer from sleep problems and disorders.

Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation
The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation is a non-profit organization which provides the latest information about restless legs syndrome (RLS).