Sleep medicine Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but more than one-third of Americans report sleeping less than the recommended amount. And the problems that can follow from lack of sleep are more than just feeling groggy in the morning. “Sleep plays a key part in maintaining your immune system, hormones, emotional and psychiatric health, memory, and more,” says Sarah Hussain, MD. “When you lose sleep, your health can suffer long-term consequences.” If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep, you might have a sleep disorder. A sleep study can help determine if you have one. What is a sleep study? “A sleep study is a diagnostic test to check for sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, and rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder, among others,” says Dr. Hussain. How is a sleep study performed? Sleep studies can be done in a sleep lab or at your home. An at-home sleep apnea test is performed by your wearing a portable breathing monitor overnight while sleeping in your bed. The device records results that your doctor reads. Sarah Hussain, MD, is the medical director of Kettering Health Miamisburg’s Sleep Center Get to the bottom of sleepless nights A polysomnogram is an in-lab test, with sensors attached to your body to monitor you while you sleep overnight in a sleep lab. “A polysomnogram is more detailed, accurate, and can diagnose not just sleep-related breathing disorders like sleep apnea, but also can detect other sleep disorders like periodic limb movements of sleep, REM behavior disorder, and narcolepsy,” says Dr. Hussain. “It may even detect cardiac arrhythmias and seizure activity.” A sleep specialist can perform a detailed history and a physical to order the appropriate sleep study for you. Treating sleep disorders “Treatment for sleep disorders is individualized, based on each patient’s sleep study results and diagnosis,” says Dr. Hussain. “Treatment options are available that can improve quality of sleep and quality of life.” Do I need a sleep study? If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you might benefit from a sleep study: • Excessive daytime sleepiness • Fatigue, tiredness, or lack of motivation • Feeling foggy or having concentration or memory issues • Loud snoring noted by others • Non-restorative sleep A sleep study can offer answers and relief REST EASY. To schedule an appointment, call 1-855-816-3545 or talk to your primary care provider. 14 ketteringhealth.org
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