Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Sleep Center is accredited by the American Association of Sleep Medicine. The center is equipped with specially trained personnel and specialized equipment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. The quality of our sleep directly affects the way in which we function during our waking hours. Many people suffer daily from inadequate sleep.

In fact, approximately 75 million people feel their sleep is not satisfactory. These people complain of persistent sleepiness and chronic fatigue. This irresistible urge to sleep can vary from a severe impairment leading to potentially life threatening occupational and/or driving accidents to moderate daytime sleepiness which makes sufferers drowsy and more prone to nod off in quiet situations such as watching television, reading, attending meetings, etc.

In addition, these individuals note deterioration in memory and judgment, early morning confusion, headaches, or nausea. Some have even detected personality changes involving sudden bursts of inappropriate behavior, irritability, jealousy, suspicion, anxiety, and/or depression.

Family members often report that these individuals snore loudly at night and note periods where breathing stops. Also relatives have witnessed jerky body movements, sleepwalking, night terrors, or falling out of bed.

Some individuals complain of chronic insomnia, which can seriously interfere with daily activities, performance, and mood. For those with a serious, long-term complaint of having "a lot of trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep," an evaluation by a board-certified sleep specialist is much more beneficial than simply relieving the symptom with medication.

Some of the more common sleep disorders include:

• Sleep Apnea
  Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and frequently occurring sleep disorder. It is more common in men than in women. Sleep apnea is a medical term for frequent and prolonged episodes when breathing stops during sleep, resulting in disturbed sleep.
• Narcolepsy
  Narcolepsy is an inherited disease associated with periods of uncontrollable sleepiness during waking hours, often beginning in young adulthood. Other signs and symptoms include vivid nightmares, sudden loss of muscle tone, and momentary paralysis upon awakening.
• Periodic Leg Movements During Sleep
  Sudden jerking of the legs during sleep can cause arousal throughout the night. Frequent arousals can result in a complaint of excessive daytime sleepiness or insomnia. Patients may also complain of a crawling or restless sensation in the legs.
• Insomnia
  Difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep may result from a variety of disorders. Drug usage (including prescription drugs), alcohol use and illness may be causes of insomnia.

An evaluation at the Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Sleep Center involves an in-depth interview with a board-certified sleep specialist (a doctor specially trained in sleep/wake disorders) to discuss your sleep complaints, review your medical history, and perform a physical examination. Following this evaluation, testing in the sleep center will be ordered if necessary.

The sleep specialist will then analyze the test data and communicate to you and your primary doctor the test results and recommendations for treatment or further evaluations. Following treatment, our clinical coordinator will continue to provide ongoing follow-up, support, and educational programs related to sleep disorders and other topics of interest to our clients. Following are the primary tests used during our evaluation of a sleep/wake disorder:

• Nocturnal Polysomnography (Sleep Study). This evaluation requires an overnight test consisting of continuous monitoring of brain waves (EEG), heartbeat (EKG), eye movements (EOG), muscle activity (EMG), blood oxygen levels, chest and abdominal movement, and nasal/oral airflow.
• Multiple Sleep Latency Testing. This test is performed during the daytime, usually following an all-night test to rule out sleep disturbances.
• Maintenance of Wakefulness Test. A daytime test used to determine the effectiveness of treatment for sleep disorders.

A referral by a doctor is preferred either by phone or in writing. The doctor may make arrangements for testing simply by calling the Roper St. Francis Sleep Center at (843) 724-2246.

Almost all tests are performed on an outpatient basis. This means that most insurance that covers outpatient procedures such as X-rays should also cover this test. If you have any doubt about your coverage, you should contact your insurance carrier.