Sleep Medicine

More than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep is essential for physical and mental renewal, and long-term sleep difficulties can lead to serious medical problems. We offer diagnostic services for a wide range of sleep disorders, including:

• Sleep Apnea
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Restless leg syndrome

Like diet and exercise, sleep is critical to good health. Sleep restores the body and mind. When you sleep, your body rests and renews its energy levels, repairs muscles and tissues and rebuilds your immune system. Sleep disorders interrupt normal sleeping patterns and can affect your health in various ways, including: 

•    Fatigue
•    Anxiety and irritability
•    Depression – personality changes and mood swings
•    Reduced attention, concentration and memory
•    Pauses in breathing or racing heartbeat during the night
•    Morning headaches
•    Difficulty concentrating or learning
•    Frequent awakening
•    Nighttime sweating

If left untreated, a person with sleep apnea may be more likely to suffer from:

•    High blood pressure
•    Heart problems
•    Stroke
•    Obesity

Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep apnea, which means “cessation of breath,” is characterized by repeat episodes of breathing distress during sleep – pauses in the normal  breathing pattern characterized by either short, shallow breaths or pauses in breathing. Sleep apnea can be caused by obstruction in the nasal, throat or jaw areas. 

Narcolepsy is a disorder that causes a person to have difficulty staying awake – even if they are  getting enough sleep at night. Narcolepsy can cause a person to suddenly fall asleep, without warning, multiple times during the day. These  attacks can be dangerous and disabling because they can occur at any time and during any activity.

Chronic insomnia is characterized by poor quality sleep or not enough sleep. Individuals with this disorder experience restless sleep and feel tired, or have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep on a regular basis.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a disorder characterized by sensations in the legs such as tingling, creeping or burning and the uncontrollable urge to move the legs for relief. Symptoms generally occur when the individual is at rest, and can range from mild discomfort to severe pain.

Proper Diagnosis

Proper diagnosis of a sleep disorder is the first step toward the development of a physician-directed medical treatment plan, which can help improve and restore a patient’s quality of life. At Sebastian Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center, patients undergo a thorough sleep study conducted in a private and secure bedroom-like setting that blends comprehensive technology with a personal touch. 

During the patient’s stay, a registered polysomnographic technologist carefully monitors heart rate, breathing patterns, body movements and brainwave activity while he or she sleeps. Our computerized equipment performs detailed sleep evaluations and generates comprehensive diagnostic reports in an expedient manner. The patient’s primary care physician receives the detailed diagnostic report that provides  the basis for developing an individualized treatment plan.

An individualized treatment plan can help in the prevention of other medical complications which commonly develop as a result of the excess strain put on one’s body when suffering from a sleep disorder.

Home Sleep Studies

• Interpreted by a board-certified sleep physician
• Sleep study is administered by a registered polysomnographic technologist