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In Search of Sleep

The CCH Sleep Lab Diagnoses and Treats a Wide Range of Sleep Disorders

You wake feeling exhausted every day, even though you thought you got enough sleep last night.

Your spouse mentions that you gasp for air in the middle of the night.

Each night, as you’re drifting off, you are jolted awake by an urge to move your legs.

What do these things have in common? They’re all signs of a possible sleep disorder and a good indication that you need to talk with your doctor.

“Sleep is just as important to your health as good nutrition and exercise — which makes a sleep disorder a genuine health concern,” says Mark Garwood, MD, a sleep physician with the Chelsea Community Hospital Sleep Lab. “Many people live for years with a sleep disorder, thinking it will just go away, or that it’s related to stress. Sometimes this is true, but often it is a condition that requires — and responds well to — medical treament.”

If you think you may have a sleep problem, try keeping a “sleep diary” for a week or two. Write down what time you go to sleep and wake up, how rested you feel in the morning, and anything that disrupts your sleep. This will help your doctor pinpoint a problem when you talk with him or her. You may be referred to a sleep lab for an overnight study, which is the most accurate way to diagnose a sleep disorder.

“Many people don’t like the idea of staying overnight in a sleep lab, but there’s really not much to it,” Dr. Garwood says. “At Chelsea, the Sleep Lab ‘sleep rooms’ are in a quiet, separate part of the hospital that feels much more like a hotel than a medical facility. You have your own private room and bathroom, and the walls are soundproof to offer you the best conditions to get rest and record your sleep patterns.”

When you arrive at the sleep clinic, the sleep technologist will talk with you about the study and what you will experience during your stay. You will sleep in a private room (see photo on facing page). Small sensors are placed on your head and body. The sensors are plugged into a machine that will monitor your sleep. If you need to use the bathroom, the sensors can be unplugged. The technologist will stay in a nearby room, but you won’t see or hear him or her. Chelsea’s staff of registered sleep technologists will record your sleep patterns and forward the results to your physician.

As you sleep, the sensors will record the following things:

• Eye movements
• Heart rate, brain waves, and muscle activity
• The level of oxygen in your blood Breathing and snoring
• Sudden leg or body movements

All of these things will help diagnose a sleep disorder and determine your possible treatment. When you wake up in the morning, you will be able to go home. Talk with your physician about when you should expect to see the results from your study.

“Don’t ignore a sleep disorder and let your health suffer as a result,” Dr. Garwood advises. “With so many available treatments and testing methods, there’s no reason to live with fatigue or other consequences of lack of sleep.”

The Big Four: Comon Sleep Disorders

1. Insomnia — Plagued by regular, long-term trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, insomniacs often feel fatigued day and night, due to their inability to get a decent quantity — and quality — of rest.
2. Sleep apnea — Most commonly thought of as “snoring,” sleep apnea can take on different forms. Obstructive sleep apnea is snoring caused by a partial blockage of your airways as you sleep. Central sleep apnea is a neurological condition in which the brain temporarily “forgets” to tell you to breathe, so you wake up and gasp for air. Both kinds of apnea can inadvertently wake you up several hundred times a night, leaving you feeling exhausted, even though you didn’t realize you were waking up.
3. Restless legs syndrome — A creepy-crawly feeling or uncontrollable urge to twitch or move your legs, this often misunderstood disorder interferes with many people’s ability to relax and go to sleep each night. It can be brought on by hormonal changes such as pregnancy, as well as many other factors.
4. Narcolepsy — The most obvious characteristic of this brain disorder is the sudden, uncontrollable attack of sleep that can occur at any time of day, even during a physical activity such as walking. Most narcoleptics will suddenly nod off at inappropriate times and may have very restless nights of sleep.

All of these disorders can be controlled and improved through various medical treatments, but an accurate diagnosis is essential. Talk with your doctor if you have symptoms of any of these disorders.