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As Americans cram every waking moment with work, family obligations and leisure activities, the time spent getting a good night’s rest is sacrificed. This "sleep debt," the cumulative effect of not getting the quantity or quality of sleep needed, is a growing concern of the medical community, which is coming to realize that adequate rest ranks as high as nutrition and exercise in terms of behaviors that are central to maintaining good health.
There are over 85 recognized sleep disorders that can rob a person of the deep, restorative sleep required for a good night’s rest. The Sinai Sleep Center provides a place where sleep patterns can be monitored and evaluated by sleep medicine specialists.
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ABOUT SLEEP DISORDERS
Sleep disorders are fairly common, affecting more than 4 percent of the population. Sleep disorders prevent a person from getting a full night’s sleep, which results in depriving the body of much-needed time to recover both mentally and physically from the day’s activities.
SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DISORDERS
• Daytime sleepiness
• Loud, irregular snoring
• Morning headaches
• Irritability or moodiness
• Poor concentration
• Memory loss
• Hypertension
• Frequent nocturnal urination
SLEEP DISORDERS
• Sleep Apnea—patient stops breathing, then awakens suddenly and gasps for breath; cycle repeats throughout sleep and can lead to heart disease, hypertension and premature death.
• Narcolepsy—excessive and sudden sleepiness that comes on quickly at inappropriate times, e.g., while driving.
• Nocturnal Myoclonus or the related "Restless Legs Syndrome"—periodic involuntary jerking of the legs disrupting quality sleep, sometimes accompanied by a "creepy crawly" sensation.
• Insomnia—lack of either quantity or quality sleep leading to poor concentration and memory loss.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux—also known as acid reflux. Gastric acid may back up into the esophagus causing multiple sleep disruptions.
• Circadian Rhythm Disorders—the urge to sleep at the wrong time of day.
• Parasomnias—including night terrors and sleep walking.
• REM (rapid eye movement) Behavior Disorder—where muscle paralysis does not occur, as is normal during REM sleep.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Depending on the type and severity of symptoms, patients can be helped through weight loss,
surgery, using dental appliances and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP is provided by a small machine that blows air into the nose through a nasal mask and keeps the airway from collapsing.
Sinai’s Sleep Center is staffed by physicians certified by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Studies are performed each evening, seven days a week. The Sleep Center offers hotel-like accommodations, and each room is equipped with a private bathroom. A complimentary breakfast is provided the morning following the study, and parking is free for patients to the Sleep Center.
A full follow-up report, including a comprehensive hypnogram chart of the quantity and quality of sleep, including up to 25 channels of sleep monitoring with state-of-the-art equipment and software, is provided to the referring physician. Each study is videotaped, with audio recording and data collection by an attending polysomnographic technologist.
REGISTRATION
The Sleep Center staff will provide complete registration instructions when the appointment is scheduled.
The Sinai Sleep Center is located in the Shapiro Building on Sinai Hospital’s campus. For more information about the Sinai Sleep Center, call 410-601-9523.
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