Help for Sleep DisordersFor Immediate Release03/24/2009
How did you sleep last night? “How you feel and perform during the day is a result of how much sleep you get the night before,” says Copley Hospital’s Wellness Center Manager, Linda Shaw, RN. Shaw notes that lack of sleep can cause fatigue, irritability, depression and lack of concentration and memory. “Over time insufficient sleep can affect your job performance, health, and quality of life.” Copley Hospital has the technology and services available to test for sleep disorders. “Our services include evaluation, diagnosis and treatment, all of which are overseen by Dr. Veronika Jedlovszky and a professional team of sleep technicians,” continued Shaw.
How much sleep is enough? Greg Ward, Senior Director Clinical Services notes that most adults need at least eight hours of sleep every night to be well rested while adolescents need at least 8.5 to 9.5 hours.
A variety of things can disturb your sleep and include stress, working long hours, feeling too hot or cold and noise. The best way to counteract those disturbances is to develop good sleep habits. Shaw offers the following tips:
· go to bed the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning,
· sleep in a quiet, dark and relaxing environment,
· avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages four to six hours before bedtime,
· remove all TVs, computers and other gadgets from the room,
· avoid physical activity within a few hours of bedtime,
· and avoid large meals before bedtime.
On-going sleep problems may indicate a medical problem and Shaw recommends you talk to your primary care provider. Chronic respiratory problems and some lung diseases can worsen during sleep. Other common disorders include:
· Snoring. Loud snoring can be a symptom of a serious disorder called sleep apnea. People with this disorder actually stop breathing repeatedly during sleep.
· Narcolepsy. A disorder that is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable sleep episodes during the day.
· Insomnia. People with insomnia have chronic problems falling asleep or staying asleep.
· Period Limb Movement Disorder. Repetitive kicking, jerking or flexing of arms or legs throughout the night.
The Sleep Lab at Copley uses state of the art digital monitoring equipment to obtain the highest quality data to evaluate your sleep disorder, and all studies are supervised by a trained sleep technician, scored by a registered polysomnographic technologist and interpreted Dr. Jeblovsky, board certified sleep physician.
Ward describes the process for scheduling a sleep evaluation begins with a referral from your primary care provider who will set up the initial appointment with Copley’s Sleep Lab. If a sleep study is required, you will be scheduled to spend one night in a private homelike room in Copley’s Center for Outpatient Services. While you sleep our specialists will monitor your sleep stages, patterns, heart activity, blood oxygen levels and body movements.
Sleep disorders can be effectively treated. Ward noted that treatments may include medication, changes in daily habits or work schedules, or a nasal mask to relieve snoring and upper airway obstruction. “We work with you and your primary care provider to help you enjoy a better quality of sleep,” he noted.
For more information on sleep disorders, or any other illnesses, Copley Hospital’s Health Science Librarian is happy to assist with on-line research or pamphlets and can be reached by calling 888-8347. For more information on Copley’s Sleep Lab Services call 802-888-8388.
Contact Information
Leah Hollenberger
Senior Director Development, Marketing & Public Relations
Copley Hospital
802-888-8301
lhollenberger@chsi.org
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