Clinics Help Patients Get Forty Winks
If you find yourself counting sheep on a regular basis, continually searching for a magic trick that will ensure a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Many women experience sleep disorders for a variety of reasons, but with help from area sleep clinics, reaching REM is becoming a little easier.
Sleep Disorders Center at Methodist Medical Center
The C. Duane Morgan Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic, established in 1982, was named for its creator, a pulmonologist at Peoria Pulmonary Associates Ltd., according to Sleep Coordinator Nagin Patel. “Dr. Morgan felt a need to help some of his patients breathe easier when they went to sleep,” he said.
In 1983, the Sleep Disorders Center became the 40th such accredited sleep disorders center in the U.S., Patel said. “Moreover, it was the only sleep disorders center in a 70-mile radius around Peoria. Since then, the Sleep Disorders Center has performed more than 15,000 sleep studies and has maintained its top quality of care and accreditation.”
The clinic recently underwent a re-design, and it re-opened in its new location—in Methodist’s physician’s building—in January. The new facility currently has a six-bed modern laboratory, with the possibility of expanding to eight beds, he said. “At present, we have seven outstanding sleep technologists who are committed to delivering outstanding health care to all of our customers. The technologists’ main responsibilities, besides performing sleep tests, is to explain the test to the patient, see the patient is comfortable within the lab, and provide for any other needs of a patient. Confidentiality is maintained before, during, and after the sleep test, and the test is painless.”
He said a common list of complaints brings most people into the Sleep Disorders Center: loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness in spite of adequate hours of sleep, being a restless sleeper or moving and jerking during sleep, excessive nocturnal leg movements during sleep, inability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, falling asleep at any place and time, or waking up tired and groggy or with a headache.
The Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic provides sleep evaluation for conditions such as sleep apnea by physicians trained in sleep disorder management, Patel said. “A sleep test is performed at the Sleep Disorders Center upon referral from a physician. The results of the exam are read by a physician and explained to the patient. The physician also discusses possible treatment options of a sleep disorder exists.”
Patel said there are many issues that can cause sleep disorders. “We tend to sacrifice our sleep to do other things, thereby accumulating a sleep debt. This results in daytime sleepiness along with difficulty concentrating. Excessive caffeine and nicotine intake late in the afternoon stimulates our brain and interferes with sleep. Alcohol intake late in the evening may help induce sleep initially, but later in the night it disrupts our sleep cycle. Heavy or spicy meals shortly before bed can also interfere with our ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Finally, obesity, narrow air passages, and enlarged tonsils may cause breathing difficulty during sleep.”
Patel said whether or not sleep disorders are indeed more common now than in the past, more people are seeking help for them now. “Some researchers have traced the beginning of the sleep-deficit crisis to the invention of electricity a century ago. Without electricity, good sleep habits were forced on people because at night, there was no light and nothing to do, so people could get nine hours of sleep. We now live in a 24-hour society.”
He said what most surprises people about the Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic is how proper diagnosis and treatment can change their lives. “More than 100 million Americans don’t regularly get a good night’s sleep, with 40 million of them suffering from sleep disorders. Many don’t even recognize their symptoms as indicators of inadequate sleep.”
Patel said people with the following symptoms should seek treatment for a sleep disorder: falling asleep at inappropriate times and places, loss of memory, difficulty in concentration, sleep attacks, and waking up tired even after a full night’s sleep. “Also, listen to your bed partner. If he or she has observed you stop breathing during sleep or has heard loud snoring with periods of silence and snorting, seek help.”
The Proctor Hospital Sleep Disorders Center
Established in 1991, the Proctor Hospital Sleep Disorders Center is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and includes an on-sight clinic run by Dr. Patrick Whitten, a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. The Center currently has six staff members, all of whom are trained sleep technologists, according to Sleep Center Coordinator Lisa Coates. “Five of us have a respiratory care background, and one of us came from an electroneurodiagnostic background,” she said.
The Center offers its patients a full range of services for sleep disorders, Coates said. “We can perform any of the necessary tests to diagnose and treat sleep disorders. Patients may refer themselves, or they may have their primary care physician refer them to a sleep specialist.”
Coates said the common denominator among Proctor’s patients is simple: they’re too sleepy. “They don’t get adequate sleep at night, so they’re excessively sleepy in the daytime. There are 84 different sleep disorders that have been identified. The majority of them have developed over a period of time, so they’re generally not acute problems. They’ve gotten to the point where they’re affecting day-to-day function.”
She agreed people today seem to have more problems with sleep disorders. “One big reason is society today minimizes the importance of sleep. We tend to think we could do without that hour of sleep if we can get one more thing done. The truth is we become less effective when we’re operating on too little sleep. There may be costly mistakes if we try to do important things with a foggy mind. Sleep deprivation played a major role in Three Mile Island, Exxon Valdez, and the Challenger Space Shuttle disasters.”
Coates pointed out in addition to sleep disorders, sleep evaluations can help identify other health issues. “Testing can differentiate between sleep disorders, seizures, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. These disorders negatively affect children’s daytime behavior but need to be identified appropriately because the treatments are very different for each one. If you treat a seizure with stimulants, you’ll make the problem worse.”
Insurance generally covers any sleep testing that’s ordered as long as patients have a symptom suggestive of a sleep disorder, Coates said. “Many carriers pay 80 to 100 percent, depending on your coverage. There are charges involved for the testing and the physician interpretation, as well as any office visits. Many of these sleep disorders are considered a medical problem; for instance, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and possibly a stroke if left untreated,” she explained.
Because sleep disorders can sometimes be easier to detect in others than ourselves, she recommended watching loved ones for areas of concern. “If someone you know is a loud snorer, stops breathing while sleeping, kicks their legs and/or can’t keep their legs still while awake, has high blood pressure despite good treatment, has had mood changes or changes in memory and concentration, they may have a sleep disorder.”
OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center
The OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center is a relatively new facility, established in November 2000, but in the last two years, it has fully developed. Sleep Disorders Center Medical Director Dr. Sarak Zallek said the center has 20 full-time staff members, including 13 sleep technologists and two registered nurses—one of whom specializes in infant apnea. “Three pulmonologists also provide a portion of the sleep study interpretation in the center. The center performs testing seven nights a week and is staffed 24 hours a day through the weekdays.”
She said testing is generally performed on an outpatient basis. “Patients typically come to the OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center in the evening for an overnight test—or during the day if they usually sleep at that time. Depending on the nature of the problem, they may stay the following day for a series of naps to be recorded as well. While most patients are outpatients, we also provide sleep testing and consultation to inpatients at OSF.”
The Sleep Disorders Center recently merged with the Children’s Hospital of Illinois Infant Apnea Center, Zallek said. “We perform a full range of infant sleep services including apnea testing and monitoring, and clinical evaluations when necessary. There are five neonatologists affiliated with the center to help provide the monitoring services.”
She said the most common diagnosis in the OSF Sleep Disorders Center, as in any sleep center, is sleep apnea. Zallek explained obstructive sleep apnea occurs when there’s a repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, which leads to sleep disruption and sometimes decreased oxygen in sleep. “Anything that makes the airway narrower than normal can be a cause of obstructive sleep apnea. This includes weight gain; a small or set-back jaw; and crowding in the back of the throat from large tonsils, a large uvula, or a long soft palate. Other common diagnoses are narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome, which is a common cause of difficulty initiating sleep.”
Zallek said other medical conditions—such as asthma, Parkinson’s Disease, and chronic pain—can also lead to sleep disruption. “Depression and many other psychiatric illnesses can cause significant sleep disturbances.”
She said the Center sees a large number of young children with difficulty sleeping, sleep-related behavior (sleepwalking, for example), or apnea. “Sometimes children have difficulty going to sleep and separating from their parents at night. This happens for a variety of reasons and usually doesn’t require sleep testing.”
If it seems like sleep disorders are getting more attention lately, Zallek said that’s because they are. “Our understanding of sleep and the development of the field of sleep medicine have grown tremendously in the last 30 years, so people are more aware of their sleep issues and can seek treatment. Doctors are also becoming increasingly aware.”
She said many people are surprised to learn most sleep disorders are treatable without medication. “Most insomnia, for example, doesn’t require testing or medication, and improves with behavioral therapy. They also may not be aware that people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, can have sleep disorders. But the thing that seems to surprise people most is that not everyone requires testing, and a visit to the sleep specialist may be all they need.”
Summoning Sleep
The sleep specialists suggesting the following tips for a good night’s sleep:
Sleep Disorders Center at Methodist Medical Center
The C. Duane Morgan Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic, established in 1982, was named for its creator, a pulmonologist at Peoria Pulmonary Associates Ltd., according to Sleep Coordinator Nagin Patel. “Dr. Morgan felt a need to help some of his patients breathe easier when they went to sleep,” he said.
In 1983, the Sleep Disorders Center became the 40th such accredited sleep disorders center in the U.S., Patel said. “Moreover, it was the only sleep disorders center in a 70-mile radius around Peoria. Since then, the Sleep Disorders Center has performed more than 15,000 sleep studies and has maintained its top quality of care and accreditation.”
The clinic recently underwent a re-design, and it re-opened in its new location—in Methodist’s physician’s building—in January. The new facility currently has a six-bed modern laboratory, with the possibility of expanding to eight beds, he said. “At present, we have seven outstanding sleep technologists who are committed to delivering outstanding health care to all of our customers. The technologists’ main responsibilities, besides performing sleep tests, is to explain the test to the patient, see the patient is comfortable within the lab, and provide for any other needs of a patient. Confidentiality is maintained before, during, and after the sleep test, and the test is painless.”
He said a common list of complaints brings most people into the Sleep Disorders Center: loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness in spite of adequate hours of sleep, being a restless sleeper or moving and jerking during sleep, excessive nocturnal leg movements during sleep, inability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, falling asleep at any place and time, or waking up tired and groggy or with a headache.
The Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic provides sleep evaluation for conditions such as sleep apnea by physicians trained in sleep disorder management, Patel said. “A sleep test is performed at the Sleep Disorders Center upon referral from a physician. The results of the exam are read by a physician and explained to the patient. The physician also discusses possible treatment options of a sleep disorder exists.”
Patel said there are many issues that can cause sleep disorders. “We tend to sacrifice our sleep to do other things, thereby accumulating a sleep debt. This results in daytime sleepiness along with difficulty concentrating. Excessive caffeine and nicotine intake late in the afternoon stimulates our brain and interferes with sleep. Alcohol intake late in the evening may help induce sleep initially, but later in the night it disrupts our sleep cycle. Heavy or spicy meals shortly before bed can also interfere with our ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Finally, obesity, narrow air passages, and enlarged tonsils may cause breathing difficulty during sleep.”
Patel said whether or not sleep disorders are indeed more common now than in the past, more people are seeking help for them now. “Some researchers have traced the beginning of the sleep-deficit crisis to the invention of electricity a century ago. Without electricity, good sleep habits were forced on people because at night, there was no light and nothing to do, so people could get nine hours of sleep. We now live in a 24-hour society.”
He said what most surprises people about the Sleep Disorders Center and Clinic is how proper diagnosis and treatment can change their lives. “More than 100 million Americans don’t regularly get a good night’s sleep, with 40 million of them suffering from sleep disorders. Many don’t even recognize their symptoms as indicators of inadequate sleep.”
Patel said people with the following symptoms should seek treatment for a sleep disorder: falling asleep at inappropriate times and places, loss of memory, difficulty in concentration, sleep attacks, and waking up tired even after a full night’s sleep. “Also, listen to your bed partner. If he or she has observed you stop breathing during sleep or has heard loud snoring with periods of silence and snorting, seek help.”
The Proctor Hospital Sleep Disorders Center
Established in 1991, the Proctor Hospital Sleep Disorders Center is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and includes an on-sight clinic run by Dr. Patrick Whitten, a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. The Center currently has six staff members, all of whom are trained sleep technologists, according to Sleep Center Coordinator Lisa Coates. “Five of us have a respiratory care background, and one of us came from an electroneurodiagnostic background,” she said.
The Center offers its patients a full range of services for sleep disorders, Coates said. “We can perform any of the necessary tests to diagnose and treat sleep disorders. Patients may refer themselves, or they may have their primary care physician refer them to a sleep specialist.”
Coates said the common denominator among Proctor’s patients is simple: they’re too sleepy. “They don’t get adequate sleep at night, so they’re excessively sleepy in the daytime. There are 84 different sleep disorders that have been identified. The majority of them have developed over a period of time, so they’re generally not acute problems. They’ve gotten to the point where they’re affecting day-to-day function.”
She agreed people today seem to have more problems with sleep disorders. “One big reason is society today minimizes the importance of sleep. We tend to think we could do without that hour of sleep if we can get one more thing done. The truth is we become less effective when we’re operating on too little sleep. There may be costly mistakes if we try to do important things with a foggy mind. Sleep deprivation played a major role in Three Mile Island, Exxon Valdez, and the Challenger Space Shuttle disasters.”
Coates pointed out in addition to sleep disorders, sleep evaluations can help identify other health issues. “Testing can differentiate between sleep disorders, seizures, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. These disorders negatively affect children’s daytime behavior but need to be identified appropriately because the treatments are very different for each one. If you treat a seizure with stimulants, you’ll make the problem worse.”
Insurance generally covers any sleep testing that’s ordered as long as patients have a symptom suggestive of a sleep disorder, Coates said. “Many carriers pay 80 to 100 percent, depending on your coverage. There are charges involved for the testing and the physician interpretation, as well as any office visits. Many of these sleep disorders are considered a medical problem; for instance, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure and possibly a stroke if left untreated,” she explained.
Because sleep disorders can sometimes be easier to detect in others than ourselves, she recommended watching loved ones for areas of concern. “If someone you know is a loud snorer, stops breathing while sleeping, kicks their legs and/or can’t keep their legs still while awake, has high blood pressure despite good treatment, has had mood changes or changes in memory and concentration, they may have a sleep disorder.”
OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center
The OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center is a relatively new facility, established in November 2000, but in the last two years, it has fully developed. Sleep Disorders Center Medical Director Dr. Sarak Zallek said the center has 20 full-time staff members, including 13 sleep technologists and two registered nurses—one of whom specializes in infant apnea. “Three pulmonologists also provide a portion of the sleep study interpretation in the center. The center performs testing seven nights a week and is staffed 24 hours a day through the weekdays.”
She said testing is generally performed on an outpatient basis. “Patients typically come to the OSF Saint Francis Sleep Disorders Center in the evening for an overnight test—or during the day if they usually sleep at that time. Depending on the nature of the problem, they may stay the following day for a series of naps to be recorded as well. While most patients are outpatients, we also provide sleep testing and consultation to inpatients at OSF.”
The Sleep Disorders Center recently merged with the Children’s Hospital of Illinois Infant Apnea Center, Zallek said. “We perform a full range of infant sleep services including apnea testing and monitoring, and clinical evaluations when necessary. There are five neonatologists affiliated with the center to help provide the monitoring services.”
She said the most common diagnosis in the OSF Sleep Disorders Center, as in any sleep center, is sleep apnea. Zallek explained obstructive sleep apnea occurs when there’s a repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, which leads to sleep disruption and sometimes decreased oxygen in sleep. “Anything that makes the airway narrower than normal can be a cause of obstructive sleep apnea. This includes weight gain; a small or set-back jaw; and crowding in the back of the throat from large tonsils, a large uvula, or a long soft palate. Other common diagnoses are narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome, which is a common cause of difficulty initiating sleep.”
Zallek said other medical conditions—such as asthma, Parkinson’s Disease, and chronic pain—can also lead to sleep disruption. “Depression and many other psychiatric illnesses can cause significant sleep disturbances.”
She said the Center sees a large number of young children with difficulty sleeping, sleep-related behavior (sleepwalking, for example), or apnea. “Sometimes children have difficulty going to sleep and separating from their parents at night. This happens for a variety of reasons and usually doesn’t require sleep testing.”
If it seems like sleep disorders are getting more attention lately, Zallek said that’s because they are. “Our understanding of sleep and the development of the field of sleep medicine have grown tremendously in the last 30 years, so people are more aware of their sleep issues and can seek treatment. Doctors are also becoming increasingly aware.”
She said many people are surprised to learn most sleep disorders are treatable without medication. “Most insomnia, for example, doesn’t require testing or medication, and improves with behavioral therapy. They also may not be aware that people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, can have sleep disorders. But the thing that seems to surprise people most is that not everyone requires testing, and a visit to the sleep specialist may be all they need.”
Summoning Sleep
The sleep specialists suggesting the following tips for a good night’s sleep:
- Sleep as much as needed to feel refreshed.
- Go to bed when you’re sleepy—not earlier.
- Maintain a regular rise time even on days off and holidays.
- Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon.
- Avoid nicotine, as it tends to stimulate the brain and disrupt sleep.
- Exercise regularly a couple of hours before bed.
- In an environment near airports or close to heavy traffic, noise can disrupt sleep. A fan in the bedroom can help dampen other noises.
- Insulate your bedroom against sounds. Carpeting, wearing earplugs, and closing the door may help.
- If you’re unable to fall asleep or stay asleep, leave the bed and engage in a quiet activity elsewhere. Return to bed when sleepy.
- Minimize light and extreme temperatures in the bedroom.
- Take a warm bath close to bedtime.
- Use your bedroom only for sleep or intimacy—not activities such as eating or watching television.
- Cover the clock or put it where you can’t see it.
- Avoid excessive fluid intake in the evening to minimize nighttime trips to the bathroom.
- Don’t take naps. TPW