According the National Institutes of Health, as many as 65 million Americans report sleep problems. Sleep-related problems can seriously impact quality of life, affecting concentration, memory, daytime performance as well as mental and physical health. Numerous scientific studies have shown correlations between poor and insufficient sleep and health issues such as, diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease.
If you are having trouble sleeping or are having difficulty staying awake, you may have a sleep disorder. There are treatments for most sleep disorders, but the first step is recognizing that a problem exists.
When you sleep at night, snoring, snorting and whistling are quite common. However, these noises could be the signal of a serious health problem. People who snore loudly could be suffering from sleep apnea, a disorder in which people temporarily stop breathing while they’re asleep. This is caused by a blockage or obstruction in the upper airway. Someone with sleep apnea could have numerous episodes during the night, with each one lasting about ten seconds to one minute. This can be quite serious and potentially life threatening. The lack of oxygen in the bloodstream can cause high blood pressure, along with the risk of a heart attack and stroke.
There are many sleep disorders, with sleep apnea being just one of them, that can lead to problems falling asleep, difficulty staying awake or sleeping on a regular sleep-cycle pattern. For this reason, anyone who is concerned that they suffer from these disorders should seek immediate medical attention.
The Sleep Center offers polysomnogram evaluations and services for the following sleep disorder categories:
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Sleep-related breathing disorders
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Neuromuscular disorders and sleep-related symptoms
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Parasomnias such as sleep walking and sleep talking
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Excessive daytime sleepiness and narcolepsy
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Periodic limb movement disorders
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Insomnia
Reasons to Have a Sleep Test
- Morning headaches
- Severe snoring
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Frequent naps
- Unexplained heart failure
- Marked obesity
- Heartburn, chest pain, chronic cough at night
- Insomnia and narcolepsy
- Leg movement during sleep
- Sleep walking, sleep talking
- Trouble falling asleep
Lake Health Sleep Center
The nationally accredited sleep medicine program at Lake Health has over 15 years of experience diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of sleep disorders. It’s comprised of two sleep centers, both of which feature four private rooms in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere where patients are monitored overnight for suspected sleep disorders, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, snoring, sleep walking and restless legs syndrome.
Accredited by the American Association of Sleep Medicine, the centers offer the most advanced monitoring and diagnostic technology as well as an expert staff of physicians board certified in sleep medicine, professional registered polysomnography technicians, registered respiratory therapists, pulmonologists, otolaryngologists (ENT) and psychologists.
Studies Performed at The Sleep Center
The Sleep Center performs an overnight sleep test or polysomnogram, which is used to help identify various sleeping disorders and measure various sleep stages during the test. To understand the brain activity and your body during sleep, the polysomnogram will measure your brain waves, muscle movement, eye movement, breathing, heart rate, leg activity and snoring by placing small sensors on your head, face and body.
The polysomnogram is used in conjunction with various sleep questionnaires, health/medical history, observation during sleep, sleep diary and the physician's knowledge of sleep medicine to help reach a diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment options.
Sometimes additional sleep tests are performed to help establish a diagnosis or treatment, including the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT). The MSLT is performed to help evaluate and diagnose other sleep problems such as narcolepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The MWT is used to evaluate and diagnose sleepiness and alertness.
Additional Services
Sleep Hygiene Education
Patients can be referred to the Sleep Center for a free sleep hygiene consultation with a registered sleep technician. The goal of the education is to help patients identify and eliminate any environmental or lifestyle factors that have an adverse effect on their sleep and help promote better sleep habits.
Consultation with a Board-certified Sleep Specialist
Dr. Timothy Kowalski is available to see patients for further evaluation and follow-up for various sleep disorders. Dr. Kowalski is a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep specialist.
Psychologic Consultation for Insomnia
Professional psychologists Lori Stevic-Rust, PhD, and Lori White, PhD, are available to see patients for sleep disorders associated with depression and insomnia.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Support Group
The CPAP Support Group offers patients who use CPAP machines for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea to become knowledgeable about their treatment. The support group meets quarterly at Lake Health and offers guest speakers along with representatives from local home care companies to address CPAP treatment concerns. The meetings also provide social support and education for patients and their families.
Insurance Coverage
The Sleep Center at Lake Health is approved by most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Willoughby Location
West Medical Center
36000 Euclid Avenue
Willoughby, OH 44094