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Brook Park resident Kevin S. is set up for a
sleep study by therapist Diane B.
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In Kanabec Hospital’s continual quest to bring services to residents of this area and to provide those services in the most comfortable and advanced manner possible, it now boasts a beautiful new sleep lab.
“We’re really excited about this new area,” said Brian DeWitt, Respiratory Therapist. “The lab is a dedicated area just for sleep studies and the rooms are much like a home bedroom rather than a hospital room.” There are two private bedrooms and they sport standard double beds with comfortable bedding and home-like decor.
The equipment has also been upgraded to provide many more types of sleep studies. Two people can be studied at once during the evenings, and daytime testing is available for shift workers and as an aid in diagnosis. Daytime studies are sometimes requested by the Federal Aviation Administration and by the Department of Transportation.
In 2007, Kanabec Hospital performed 136 sleep studies. All but one patient tested positive for a sleep disorder.
Sleep disorders are more common than most realize. As DeWitt explained, “Obstructive Sleep Apnea is as common as asthma and diabetes. About one in five adults has mild sleep apnea and about one in 15 has moderate sleep apnea.”
The consequences of untreated sleep apnea can be serious. According to the National Council of Sleep Disorders, 38,000 heart attacks suffered each year can be attributed to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause or aggravate high blood pressure, stroke, fluid retention and abnormal heartbeats.
According to DeWitt, people who drive while drowsy can have slower reaction times than someone who has had a few alcoholic drinks. People with sleep apnea have been known to fall asleep behind the wheel of a car.
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Therapist Diane B. monitors sleep study patients with special computer technology.
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Sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing several times at night. The average length someone stops breathing is from 10 seconds to two minutes. Other symptoms include snoring, daytime drowsiness, falling asleep when one shouldn’t, and not feeling rested after sleep.
People who receive treatment for sleep apnea can experience a “dramatic improvement in their life,” says DeWitt. “They wake up refreshed with a lot more energy and enthusiasm for life,” he continued. They also experience a reduction in other medical problems.
The first step in getting a sleep study is to visit your physician. A physician’s order is necessary for a sleep study.
Learn more about Sleep Apnea >
View Sleep Apnea brochure (PDF) >