Sleep Lab

The Sleep Lab at North Colorado Medical Center will help patients discover why they are not getting the perfect night's sleep.

A sleep disorder is a disorder in the sleep patterns of a an individual. Some sleep disorders can interfere with mental and emotional function.

The most common sleep disorders are:

• Obstructive sleep apnea - Repeated episodes of
  temporary pauses in breathing during sleep.
• Periodic limb movement syndrome - Kicking
  movements of the legs which occur every 20 to 90 seconds
  during the night and may disturb the normal sleep.
• Narcolepsy - Sudden, uncontrollable urges to sleep,
  causing an individual to fall asleep at inappropriate times.
• Parasomnias - Undesirable physical phenomena that
  occur during sleep include sleepwalking, sleep terrors
  (night terrors), REM behavior disorder, and rhythmic
  movement disorders.
• Sleep Apnea - A very effective therapy for treatment
  of sleep apnea is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
  (CPAP) -- a mask worn during sleep. It provides a specific
  pressure that will allow the person to breathe and sleep
  normally throughout the night.  A support group meets
  regularly to provide help and encouragement.

Sleep studies are tests that watch what happens to an individual's body during sleep. The studies are done to find out what is causing sleep problems. Sleep disorder symptoms include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Snoring
• Overweight
• Mood changes
• Lethargy
• Morning headaches
• Low oxygen
• Low sex drive
• Achy, crawly feeling in legs
• Sudden sleep attacks

To schedule a sleep study, contact your primary care physician today!