Sleep disorders

If you have been experiencing chronic problems falling asleep, staying asleep at night or staying awake during the day, talk to your primary care provider about ordering a sleep study. Our center is equipped to monitor adults, adolescents and children. We even offer daytime studies for nightshift workers.

A lack of sleep negatively impacts your health. It can cause a variety of health complications, including high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, heart disease, sexual dysfunction and other chronic illnesses. This makes it important to connect with a doctor if you have any of these symptoms of a sleep disorder:

• Chest pain
• Choking sensation at night
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Fitful sleep (frequent awakenings)
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Loss of interest in hobbies, sex, etc.
• Morning headaches
• Otherwise unexplained irritability, anxiety and/or depression
• Shortness of breath
• Snoring
• Trouble concentrating
• Weight gain

Our sleep specialists diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders. Some of the most common sleep disorders we treat include:

Sleep apnea and snoring

Snoring may be a symptom of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea have pauses in breathing during sleep that end with wakefulness, which may interrupt what would otherwise be a refreshing night of sleep.

Those with sleep apnea may experience loud snoring, choking and gasping as they struggle to breathe again. These episodes may occur several times a night. Although snoring represents abnormal breathing during sleep and is the result of a partial collapse of the air passage in the throat, sleep apnea is a complete or near-complete obstruction to airflow.

Often people with sleep apnea are unaware of any problems while sleeping, but awaken feeling tired. This excessive sleepiness may affect other aspects of life, including job performance and daily activities.

If untreated, sleep apnea can cause people to experience symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Also, it may lead to high blood pressure, headaches and an increased risk for heart attack or stroke.

Insomnia

Insomnia is the inability to sleep and/or abnormal wakefulness. Symptoms include:

• Depression or stress
• Disturbing thoughts while trying to sleep
• Waking during the night with difficulty going back to sleep
• Lying awake for more than half an hour before falling asleep

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a condition marked by an uncontrollable desire for sleep or sudden attacks of physical weakness occurring during moments of strong emotions. Related symptoms and warning signs include:

• Vivid nightmares or hallucinations when falling asleep or waking up
• Paralysis when falling asleep or awakening
• A feeling of ‘going limp’ when angry or surprised
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Disturbed or fragmented sleep

Children can have sleep disorders and trouble sleeping as well. The specialists in our pediatric sleep center conduct sleep studies for children in a calm, stress-free environment. We can help your child get the rest they need, ultimately helping you sleep better, too.

Before your scheduled sleep study, you should preregister by calling the Outpatient Registration department at TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center at (844) 519-0218. Please leave your name and phone number so one of our registrars can return your call during the next business day.

On the test day, please bring your insurance cards, photo ID and insurance co-pays to be collected during registration. Leave your valuables at home. Insurance co-pays, deductibles and deposits are due to the hospital on the day of service.