Sleep Lab

The Sleep Lab at Salem Township Hospital is under the medical direction of a Board Certified Sleep Specialist, Sajjan Nemani, MD.

Visit Dr. Nemani’s Website

Are you at risk?  Take the quiz below to see if you have the symptoms of a sleep disorder and should speak to your doctor.

1. Do you have sleepiness during the day?

2. Do you snore while sleeping?

3. Do you awaken with a headache?

4. Do you have a dry mouth when you wake?

5. Do you wake yourself up gasping for breath or choking?

6. Do you find it hard to stay awake while watching TV, reading a book, or attending a lecture?

7. Has anyone told you that you hold your breath, snort, and often move while sleeping?

8. Have you recently gained weight?

9. Do you ever experience muscle weakness when excited or emotional?

10. Have you ever not been able to move when you wake up?

11. Do you have difficulty falling asleep?

12. Do you have difficulty staying asleep?

13. Do you have uncomfortable sensations in your legs, causing
excessive movements?

If you answered “yes” to two or more of these questions, you may have a sleep disorder. Please share this quiz with your doctor to find out if a sleep study at Salem Township Hospital is recommended.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that afflicts 12 million Americans.  People with sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing at night.  This puts a strain on the entire body causing the oxygen level in the blood to drop and the carbon dioxide level to increase.  Sleep apnea is closely linked with heart disease in even mild to moderate cases.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea.  In OSA, loose tissue in the airway collapses during sleep, obstructing the air passages.  This also causes snoring.

Risks & Symptoms

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the most common treatment for sleep apnea.  The CPAP machine blows air through tubing and a mask which keeps the airway open.  Patients receiving CPAP therapy often report a drastic reduction of symptoms after using the machine.

Home Sleep Studies

For a select group of patients, a home sleep study may make more sense than a traditional test performed within the Sleep Lab. Home sleep tests are only used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Patients meeting the clinical criteria listed below and who are eligible through their insurance coverage, can now choose between having their test done in the laboratory and having it done at home. The patient is given a device and instructed how to attach it and activate it. The patient returns the device to the hospital where a report is generated and sent to your doctor.

Women and Sleep | Journal of Sleep Medicine

Admit it. You yawn. A lot. You don’t wake up until you’ve had your coffee in the morning, you need another jolt in the afternoon to keep you going, then fall asleep watching TV at night. When you go to bed, you just lie there thinking of things you need to do. Think it’s because of your busy lifestyle? It’s more likely to be related to how well you sleep.

Read Full Article

Learn more about the different types of sleep disorders, how you can be affected, as well as how to schedule your own Sleep Study:
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