According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of adults have trouble sleeping a few nights a week or more, and more than 40 percent experience daytime sleepiness that interferes with their daily activities.
Among the most common sleep disorders is sleep apnea, which involves repeated interruptions in breathing while sleeping. If left untreated, sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke, mental impairment and injury from accidents.
Chatham Hospital offers a fully equipped Sleep Lab that can help you tackle your sleep problems head-on. Patients typically spend the night in the lab where experienced staff members monitor their brain waves, muscle activity, breathing and heart rhythms. The results are then interpreted by a board-certified physician experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-related diseases.
If you suspect you have sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, consult your physician. Sleep studies are covered by most insurance plans.
Read more about our Sleep Lab as written in the June 1, 2007 edition of The Chatham News.
