Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know If I Have A Sleep Disorder?
Ask yourself:
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Does it take me more than 30 minutes to fall asleep
at night?
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Do I wake up frequently at night and have a
difficult time going back to sleep?
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Do I wake up in the morning feeling groggy,
lethargic or with a headache?
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Am I irritable or forgetful?
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Do I have a difficult time concentrating?
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Do I find myself "drifting off" during
routine situations?
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Do I fall asleep during the day?
If you answered "yes" to any of these
questions, you may have a sleep disorder.
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What Should I Do If I Think I Have A Sleep
Disorder?
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Talk to your physician. It’s a good idea to
talk with your physician about any sleeping problem that recurs or
persists for more than a week. Your physician can help you make a plan
to control or prevent poor sleep.
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Seek out a sleep disorders specialist. Most
sleep disorders can be successfully treated or controlled once
properly diagnosed. Ask your physician for a referral to a sleep
disorders specialist.
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Arrange to visit a sleep disorders center.
During your first visit, you will be asked questions about your sleep
and daytime habits, in order to compile a sleep history. (Family
members can often provide additional information about your personal
habits, like snoring or shortness of breath, that you may not be aware
of.) Also, your physician should provide any relevant medical history
in advance of your first visit to a sleep disorders center.
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After the first visit, you may be asked to return
for a night or two, so that your sleep patterns can be monitored.
The sleep center staff will have you go about your normal routine to
get ready for bed. Then, before you go to sleep, dime-sized sensors
will be placed on your body. This painless, non-restrictive test,
called a polysomnogram, records your brain waves, muscle activity,
limb movements, heartbeat, breathing and other body functions during
the night.
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You may also be given another test, called the
Multiple Sleep Latency Test, which shows how quickly you fall
asleep-a good measure of daytime sleepiness.
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Know your treatment options. When the study
is complete, a sleep specialist will conduct a thorough evaluation and
recommend treatment, either directly to you or your referring
physician.
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What are the Most Common Sleep Disorders?
There are nearly 84 known sleep disorders. Here are a
few of the most common:
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Sleep
Apnea: A disorder characterized by brief interruptions of
breathing during sleep.
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Parasomnias:
Problems that often intrude on our sleep and those around us in
active, sometimes dramatic ways; these disorders include rapid eye
movement behavior disorder (RBD), sleep talking, sleep terrors and
sleepwalking.
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Insomnia:
The chronic inability to sleep.
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Narcolepsy:
A condition marked by sudden, uncontrollable and usually brief attacks
of deep sleep.
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Periodic
Leg Movement: Periodic leg movements or PLMs are sudden,
jerking spasms of the leg muscles that can affect a person’s ability
to fall asleep and maintain quality sleep.
Want to learn more?
For more information about the Center for Sleep
Disorders or to set up an appointment, please call (360) 414-7800 or (800)
438-7562.
The Center for Sleep Disorders is located on the first
floor of St. John Medical Center at 1615 Delaware Street in Longview.
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