An estimated 85 million Americans have trouble falling asleep at night, or suffer from some type of sleep disorder. If you are one of them, Saint Vincent Hospital Sleep Lab can help you get the rest you need.

Sleep disorders include sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, restless legs syndrome, insomnia and narcolepsy.  Too much sleep or too little sleep could be a serious problem, but people may improve their patterns with behavioral changes. The Sleep Disorders Lab at Saint Vincent Hospital offers a full range of services designed to evaluate, diagnose, treat and help you manage your sleep disorder.

In order to diagnose your sleep disorder, patients often spend the night in the hospital's sleep lab, where experienced technologists monitor and record brain waves, muscle activity, respiration and heart rhythms while the patient sleeps. Results of the studies are interpreted by physicians board certified in Sleep Medicine.  Our sleep lab is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.  We have 6 bedrooms and perform sleep studies (polysomnograms) 7 nights a week.

The most common sleep disorders include:

• Sleep Apnea
  Repeated interruptions in breathing caused by blockage in the airway.  Snoring and daytime sleepiness are common symptoms. 
• Insomnia
  Difficulty maintaining or initiating sleep. 
• Narcolepsy
  Involuntary sleep attacks.

Sleep disorders can also cause:
Loss of memory; anxiety and depression; disorientation; change in mood; morning headaches; excessive daytime sleepiness; irritability; decreased ability to concentrate and complete a task, etc.

Once the sleep disorder has been diagnosed, most disorders can be managed through a combination of:

• Weight Loss
• Behavioral Therapy
• Positive airway pressure (CPAP)
• Medications
• Surgery

Evaluating Sleep

This short video (5:30) provides you with an overview of the process of diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea.

To make an appointment:

Patients must have a referral from either their primary care physician, or a specialist.  To schedule an appointment, please call Patient Access Scheduling at 508-363-9729.