Loring Hospital Sleep Studies

Approximately one third of a person’s life is spent asleep and approximately 50-70 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder. Are you one of them? 

A sleep study, known as polysomnography,  establishes the presence of any sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, leg movements, etc. During a full sleep study the patient’s brain wave activity is monitored to determine the various sleep stages. Other things measured include eye activity, heart rate, airflow from the mouth, oxygen levels in the blood, body position, and muscle movements. This is all accomplished pain-free, with the use of patches and belts.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

• Excessive daytime sleepiness. Generally, a “tired feeling” all the time or at inappropriate times
• Morning headaches
• Loud snoring with periods of silence or “gasps”
• Dozing while driving
• Memory and/or judgment problems
• Irritability
• Personality changes

Sleep Apnea Questionnaire - Do you:

• Know that you snore or are told that you snore?
• Often get sleepy in the daytime?
• Feel drowsy when driving?
• Wake up with morning headaches?
• Have frequent memory or judgment problems during the day?
• Experience frequent irritability during the day?
• Notice or are told you have a personality change?
• Wake up and/or make frequent trips to the bathroom during the night?
• Weigh 20% or more than your ideal body weight?
• Have a neck size 17 inches or greater (male) or 16 inches or more (female)
• Have high blood pressure?
• Have a decrease in sexual drive?

Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea :

• Obesity: 20% or greater of ideal body weight
• Large neck girth
• Male gender
• Anatomic abnormalities such as large tonsil, adenoids, etc.
• Family history
• Alcohol or sedative use
• Lung disease
• Age greater than 65

Call to make an appointment for a Sleep Study at Loring Hospital by calling 712-662-7105 or 712-662-6367.

Over 50 million Americans suffer from some type of treatable sleep disorder!

The most common sleep disorders are:

• Sleep Apnea is the failure to breathe properly during sleep.
• Insomnia is when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
• Narcolepsy is excessive sleepiness and the inability to stay awake.
• Periodic Limb Movements or repetitive jerking/cramping of the limbs  during sleep.

As a fully accredited sleep center through the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), we are staffed with specially trained physicians and technologists, who strive to provide the highest quality of care to all our patients, and to increase the awareness and promote treatment of sleep disorders in our community.

If untreated, sleep disorders can lead to an increased risk of:

• Heart attack or stroke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Work-related or driving accidents  

Types of Sleep Disorders and Testing

Sleep disorders are any condition that effect sleep patterns and interfere with falling asleep, staying asleep, or remaining awake. Some of the common conditions are: insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and snoring, excessive periodic leg movements during sleep, respiratory disease that effects oxygenation in blood stream, patterns of disruptive sleep, nightmares, night terrors, bedwetting, sleepwalking, just to name a few.

The Sleep Medicine providers may use one or a combination of the following screens:

Polysomnogram (PSG)

PSG consists of collecting information about movements, breathing, heart rate, snoring and other events during a sleep study. This is typically done overnight, but may be done during daytime hours if patient is a shift-worker or sleeps during the day.

Multiple Sleep Latency (MSLT)
MSLT assesses your level of daytime sleepiness. MSLTs are often recommended for potential Narcolepsy and are usually done during the day (following an all-night sleep study). Patients are screened during five 20-minute nap sessions, approximately 2 hours apart. Between naps you will be asked to stay awake.

Appointment

Upon referral from your doctor, Loring's Sleep Department will contact you to set up your appointment. You will receive a questionnaire and information packet to complete at home to save you time prior to your evaluation.

What to Expect

On the scheduled night of your test, you will be prepared for the painless test. Sensors are applied to your scalp, face, chin, chest and legs. These sensors are comfortable and are attached to equipment that monitors your brain waves, breathing, heart rate and muscle activity.

After your monitoring equipment is applied, you can relax in our home-like setting. The spacious private room includes a comfortable bed with a television and private restroom.

While you sleep, a Polysomnography Technologist will observe and record your sleep patterns and the information being transmitted by the attached sensors. We will wake you the next morning in plenty of time to return home or prepare for work.

Diagnosis and Treatment

One of our sleep medicine physicians will exam your results and will forward the findings to your primary care physician who will discuss the results of your study with you. Depending on your diagnosis, you may spend a second night at the Sleep Center to better determine your level of treatment.

Cost of a Sleep Study

The reimbursement from insurance companies vary. Pre-authorization may be required by your insurance company.