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The Sleep Study
Common Sleep Disorders
Millions ask everyday, “Why don’t I sleep well?” The most likely answer is that they have a sleep disorder. Quality sleep is essential in maintaining good health. If you are suffering with a sleep problem, we urge you to discuss it with your family physician or contact the Center for Sleep.
Making an Appointment
Ask your doctor for a referral to the Center for Sleep or contact the center directly at 615-284-7537. We will assist you in scheduling an appointment with one of our sleep physicians for a timely consultation.
If your sleep physician decides further evaluation is required, you will be referred to the Center for Sleep to be scheduled for a sleep study. A sleep study is a non-invasive, painless diagnostic test performed to determine if you have a sleep disorder. Testing will generally coincide with your normal sleep hours.
Most insurance companies recognize the impact of sleep disorders on your health and reimburse for consultation and testing. The Center for Sleep will assist you in working with your insurance company to determine benefits.
The Sleep Study
Sleep studies are performed to evaluate snoring, breathing, arousals, movements, and certain behaviors during sleep. In addition, studies are performed to assess sleepiness or one’s ability to stay awake.
The sleep technologist will gently apply sensors on your head, face, and body to closely monitor and record your brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate and rhythm during sleep. After the sleep study is completed and “scored,” the sleep physician will review the recording in order to establish a diagnosis and treatment plan, which will be reviewed with you in a follow-up visit.
Common Sleep Disorders
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA affects more than 18 million Americans. It is characterized by loud snoring with gasping, snorting, or pauses in breathing during sleep. Often times the person suffering from sleep apnea will complain of being very tired after sleeping all night – even more tired than when they went to bed. The most widely used and effective treatment for sleep apnea is positive airway pressure therapy. Other treatment options include weight loss, positional therapy, an oral appliance, or surgery.
INSOMNIA is the most common of all sleep disorders. The chief complaint is difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. It can be a symptom of another disorder or a primary condition. Depression and pain frequently make the condition worse.
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME is a disagreeable feeling in the legs that can only be relieved by moving them. The symptoms are often described as creepy-crawly, twitching, or an itching sensation. This most often occurs at night, making it difficult to rest or sleep.
NARCOLEPSY is a condition that causes overwhelming sleepiness – “sleep attacks.” Other symptoms associated with narcolepsy are cataplexy, vivid dreaming and sleep paralysis.
INADEQUATE SLEEP HYGIENE is a sleep disorder caused by bad sleep habits, unhealthy pre-sleep rituals, and/or a poor sleep environment.
INSUFFICIENT SLEEP SYNDROME is a disorder that occurs when an individual persistently fails to obtain sufficient sleep without the presence of another sleep disturbance.
Sleep disorders that shorten sleep time or disrupt sleep can place you at a higher risk for weight gain, depression, high blood pressure, changes in blood sugar, heart disease, stroke, and fatigue-related accidents.