 
Sleep Disorders LaboratoryThe Sleep Disorders Laboratory was opened in 1982 to help physicians diagnose and treat patients who have excessive snoring, hypersomnolence during the day, difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or who have other medical problems that occur or worsen during sleep.A patient's sleep is evaluated using a polysomnogram (sleep study) to characterize sleep architecture and cardiopulmonary function during sleep. The sleep study is used to document the presence of abnormalities, identify the causes of abnormalities and document the effects of therapy. The sleep study will identify the possibility of life-threatening cardiac rhythm problems that may be associated with a sleep disorder. During a polysomnogram, sleep architecture is characterized from measuring the sleep patterns of the patient's electroencephalogram (EEG), or brain wave study, electro-oculogram (EOG), or eye movement study, and submental electro-myogram (EMG), or voluntary muscle movement. Cardiac function is evaluated from the electrocardiogram (EKG) and periodic leg movement from the tibial EMG. Respiration is monitored using air flow, rib cage and abdominal motion, and oxygen saturation. Other measures can be added in specific cases, including esophageal Ph monitoring for gastroesophageal reflux in evaluating patients who are thought to have asthma related to acid regurgitation from the stomach. A variety of abnormal sleeping patterns and their courses are analyzed quantitatively and characterized by a sleep study in order to direct proper therapy. Specific therapies are then prescribed by the center's physicians for sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia and other disorders including sleepwalking, asthma, esophageal reflux or nightmares that may be dangerous to patient's health and disruptive to them and their families. Research activities performed by members of the Sleep Disorder Laboratory staff have focused on developing less-invasive screening studies useful in the home setting, the development of more effective sleep monitoring equipment, and the evaluation of patients with heart disease who are troubled with these sleep disorders. A multidisciplinary team, including physicians from pulmonary medicine, neurology and psychiatry, as well as other medical and surgical specialties, is available for consultation.
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