Archbold Medical Center| Archives Magazine | Summer 2018

ARCHBOLD.ORG • SUMMER 2018 19 ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION, sleep disorders and intermittent sleep prob- lems affect 50 to 70 million Americans. Most of these people are unaware that they have a problem. And untreated sleep disorders can cause or mask problems such as hypertension, heart failure, strokes, depression and diabetes. The Archbold Sleep Disorders Center helps diagnose sleep issues and provides options to properly treat them. Gerri York, Coordinator at the sleep center, lists possible symptoms of sleep disorders: •  Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue. •  Heavy or loud snoring while sleeping. •  Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep. •  Frequent breathing lapses during sleep. •  Falling asleep while driving. •  Restless, twitchy or jumpy legs at night. If a person has any of these symptoms, a sleep study may be necessary. Sleep studies and more “We perform home sleep studies, in-lab sleep studies and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) titration studies, multiple sleep latency tests, and maintenance of wakefulness tests,” York said. “We perform sleep studies on patients ranging from pediatric to geriatric age.” During in-lab sleep studies, the patient is monitored over- night by a trained technologist. Other studies are done in the patient’s home. A sleep specialist interprets the results and reviews treatment options with the patient. Sleep apnea The most common sleep disorder that the sleep center handles is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA happens when there is a complete or partial blockage of the flow of air in the back of the throat. OSA makes it difficult for you to breathe while sleeping. Most people with OSA have no idea they are having breathing problems while sleeping— but bed partners or family members are often very aware of the loud snoring or irregular breathing. The most common symptom of OSA is tiredness and excessive sleepiness. There are many different treatments for OSA, including CPAP machines, mouth pieces and surgical options. CPAP is one of the most common and effective sleep treatments offered through the sleep center. “A CPAP machine is a device that includes a small mask that you wear over your nose, mouth or both while you sleep,” York said. “Air is blown through the mask—just enough to keep the air passageway open.” If CPAP treatment is recommended, a machine may be purchased at the Archbold Home Care Store on Pinetree Boulevard. The Home Care Store also periodically hosts CPAP clinics to educate new and experienced CPAP users on proper cleaning and maintenance of their CPAP device and supplies. ARCHBOLD SLEEP DISORDERS CENTER Reclaimthose ZZZs Help is here Patients with a sleep disorder need a sleep study every five years. If you have been diagnosed with a sleep disor- der in the past, or if you have been using the same CPAP machine for more than five years, ask your primary care doctor to refer you for a sleep study. If you or a loved one has experienced problems sleep- ing or are exhibiting symptoms related to a sleep disor- der, ask your primary care doctor if you are a candidate for a sleep study or call 229.228.2729 . Sleep easy. Call the Archbold Sleep Disorders Center at 229.228.2729 .