A good night’s sleep is an extremely important part of your wellbeing.
Since most people spend roughly one third of their lives asleep, it’s
no secret that quality of sleep directly affects the quality of your life. However,
50-70 million Americans live with sleep disorders, sometimes unknowingly. That’s why the Archbold Sleep Center is
here to help you rest easy once again.
To learn more about our sleep center in Thomasville and how we can benefit
you or a loved one struggling with a sleep disorder, don’t hesitate
to reach out. Call us at
229.228.2729.
Common Symptoms of Sleep Disorders
Before deciding whether to seek assistance from a medical professional
in the field of sleep studies and treatment, it may be helpful to understand
some of the common symptoms of sleep disorders. These may include, but
are not limited to the following:
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Heavy, loud snoring during sleep
Falling asleep while driving
Difficulty falling asleep at night
Frequent breathing lapses during sleep
Waking up several times during sleep
Restless, twitchy, or jumpy legs at night
Excessive sweating at night
Morning headaches upon waking
Memory and concentration problems
Before diagnosing you or a loved one with a sleep disorder based on the
symptoms above, your physician may want to rule out other conditions that
could be affecting your sleep. Some common reasons that you may be feeling
restless or fatigued could include:
Mental illness, such as depression or anxiety
Chronic pain
Obesity or excessive weight gain
Hypertension
Heart failure
Elevated blood count
Medication side effects
Diagnostic Testing Through Sleep Studies
Sleep studies are performed in a private, spacious, and comfortable bedroom,
designed to emulate a home environment as much as possible. Patients are
continuously monitored during overnight studies by a technologist with
special training in sleep diagnostics.
A board-certified sleep specialist and medical director will interpret
the results of the sleep study. Once the findings are complete, the final
report will be reviewed with the patient, and a treatment plan will be
designed based on the patient’s unique needs. A range of treatment
options can be recommended to help alleviate symptoms of a diagnosed disorder.
These treatment options will be based upon the type and severity of the
specific sleep disorder.
Additional sleep testing we offer at Archbold includes:
Home Sleep Testing: Home sleep testing, or HST, is performed by having the patient sleep at
home while wearing equipment that collects information about breathing
during sleep. HST is typically used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.
MSLT: Multiple sleep latency testing, which is performed the day following an
overnight sleep study to determine the levels of residual drowsiness.
This test can be used to diagnose narcolepsy.
MWT: Maintenance of Wakefulness Test is performed during the day to determine
if a patient can stay awake for a defined period of time. This test is
used to measure how alert you remain during they day.
Questionnaires to aid in self-assessing a sleep concern:
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a simple test designed to alert you to
any problems resulting from poor quality sleep. If your score is 9 or
greater, a further sleep study may be needed to properly diagnose your problem.
The STOP-BANG Sleep Apnea Questionnaire: The STOP-BANG questionnaire consists of eight dichotomous (yes/no) items
related to the clinical features of sleep apnea. The total score ranges
from 0 to 8. Patients can be classified for OSA risk based on their respective
scores. An online version of the STOP-BANG screening is available at the
bottom of this page.
Get Started on the Path Toward a Good Night’s Sleep
Our sleep center is accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Health
Care (ACHC). This is important because this distinctive recognition by
the ACHC means our sleep center gives each patient high-quality care and
service that adheres to evidence-based practice parameters.
Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance companies cover the cost of sleep
studies. Since insurance benefits and coverage vary, it is best to contact
your provider for coverage and pre-certification requirements. It is important
to note that sleep studies are conducted through physician referral only.
If you’re interested in potentially participating in a sleep study,
or if you’d like to receive more information regarding sleep disorders,
our staff will be glad to assist you and discuss options regarding services.
Please call the Archbold Sleep Center at
229.228.2729 to speak to a dedicated member of our team. You’ll rest easy knowing
you’re receiving the best sleep-focused care from our compassionate
and knowledgeable team!
