Home Sleep Studies
Do you know that today two in six adults get less than seven hours of sleep on workdays? Losing as little as 1.5 hours of sleep can reduce your alertness the next day by 1/3. Lack of sleep has been associated with poor work performance, driving accidents, relationship problems and mood problems like anger and depression.
Long-term sleep deprivation from disorders such as sleep apnea has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke
Sleep is just as important for overall health as diet and exercise.
At Western Carolina Pulmonary, our sleep specialists provide comprehensive testing to determine why you are not getting a good night’s sleep. After a thorough evaluation, we may recommend either a Sleep Lab Study or Home Sleep Study to establish a diagnose and treatment plan.
Sleep Lab Studies
Overnight sleep studies are performed in a sleep lab to evaluate snoring, breathing, arousals, movements, and certain behaviors during sleep. We also assess sleepiness or one’s ability to stay awake.
Our sleep technician 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.
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 common treatment is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), pronounced “see-PAP.” 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 habits and environment.
INSUFFICIENT SLEEP SYNDROME is a result of choices you make that keep you from getting enough sleep. It is voluntary, but unintentional.
Further information about OSA and common sleep disorders is available at the following websites:
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