Sleep occurs in stages throughout the night. There is REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. During non-REM sleep, many of the body's restorative functions occur. During REM sleep, our thoughts and experiences from the day are processed and dreams may occur. Because we all have different rhythms, stages of sleep, and required amounts of sleep, there really is no "normal" sleep. It is when you routinely wake from sleep feeling unrefreshed or sleepy that there could be a problem.

How Do I Know if I Have a Sleep Disorder?

Millions of people have sleep disorders that prevent them from having a healthy sleep rhythm. If you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, snoring or gasping for breath, or walking or talking in your sleep, you could have a sleep disorder. Disorders include insomnia, narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness), sleep-related movement disorders such as restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and circadian rhythmn delayed, advanced (or shift work) sleep disorders.

Affecting more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health, sleep apnea is a disorder in which you have pauses in breathing while asleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes and can occur up to 30 times or more per hour. Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and untreated, despite the fact that this can have significant health consequences.

Some of the common signs of sleep apnea are:

• Snoring, interrupted by pauses in breathing
• Gasping/choking during sleep
• Restless sleep
• Excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day
• Large neck size (greater than 17" in men or 16" in women)
• Morning headache
• Sexual dysfunction
• Frequent urination at night
• Poor judgment/concentration
• Irritability
• Memory loss
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Obesity

What Happens if Sleep Apnea is Not Treated?

When sleep apnea is not treated it can lead to chronic fatigue, irritability, headaches and lack of concentration. It also puts you at an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity and diabetes as well as increasing the chance of having work-related or driving accidents. There are recent studies which show that untreated severe sleep apnea can lessen your life span by four years.

What Can Be Done About Sleep Disorders?

Dr. Robert Conroy and the staff at the Hawthorn Sleep Center are able to evaluate and treat sleep disorders. In some instances, changes in habits and lifestyle can eliminate the problem. When needed, overnight polysomonographic sleep studies are done to gather information about the details of your sleep cycle and evaluate your progression through the stages of sleep, breathing, oxygen levels, snoring and movement.

Based on the results of the study, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and surgery may be advised.