Sleep Disorders

One common sleep disorder, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, affects 20 million Americans. Most people don’t know they have it  and it can affect people of all ages and body-types--even children.. A family member and/or bed partner may notice the signs of sleep apnea because your bed partner is kept awake by your symptoms. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious, life-altering, and potentially life-threatening condition that is easily identified and effectively treated..

Heavy Snoring a Sign of Sleep Apnea

Heavy snoring is a common sleep apnea symptom, but the associated breathing problems are more serious. In sleep apnea, your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more. These pauses can occur 20 to 30 times or more an hour. The pauses in breathing cause you to move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night, resulting in poor sleep quality. Your partner suffers too, by staying awake, waiting to hear you breathe again! Daytime symptoms of sleep disorders include:

• morning headaches
• sleepiness
• fatigue
• inability to concentrate
• irritability
• mood swings
• personality changes
• depression

CHI Health Sleep Care provides complete evaluation of sleep disorders in patients of all ages 5 and older. Beyond testing just for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, we can perform a variety of sleep tests and are also able to diagnose and treat other conditions, such as narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome (RSL) and parasomnias (behaviors that occur while asleep, e.g. sleepwalking).

Will Insurance Pay for a Sleep Study?

You will need a referral from your physician to have a sleep study. Most insurances require a face-to-face visit with your physician to discuss and document your sleep concerns as well as your current physical condition prior to ordering the sleep study. Many insurances require a pre-approval of the sleep study which can take up to 14 days to receive. Some insurances will only approve a Home Sleep Apnea Test initially unless you have certain co-morbidities that could reduce the chances of obtaining a valid test. If a Home Sleep Apnea Test is determined as your best option, an appointment will be made for you to come pick up the device. You’ll be taught how to apply it and be given a sleep questionnaire to complete. The Home Sleep Apnea testing is utilized to identify Obstructive Sleep Apnea only.

What to Expect during a Sleep Study

Prior to your appointment, we will send you an informational letter, sleep questionnaire and will call to confirm your appointment. Then on the night of your appointment you will arrive at our lab at 8 p.m. and meet with a well-trained technologist, who will show you the study bedroom and go over the study process. A technologist will then spend about 45 minutes attaching sensors to your head, chest, abdomen, and legs. This process does not hurt at all, and the wires are long enough for you to comfortably move around the bed. The wires that attach to your head will have a sticky paste used to attach, please keep that in mind when considering hair styles. The setup will also allow you to get up and use the restroom during the night as often as necessary. The study will conclude around 6 a.m.