The sleep lab, which had its first patient in December, will assist in diagnosis of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy and chronic insomnia.  The lab is under the direction of Lynn Waldera, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Divine Savior Healthcare. 

"Many people suffer from sleep disorders and don't even know it," said Waldera.  "The side affects associated with something like sleep apnea are enough to disturb your daily functions."

Polysomnography testing requires an overnight stay in our sleep laboratory.  After your doctor orders a sleep study, you will come to Divine Savior Healthcare's Sleep Disorders Lab where you will be met with a Polysomnographic Technologist.  This tech will show you to a quiet comfortable room where you will spend the night.  The tech will ask you some questions about the events of your day and then begin hooking you up with the electrodes.  This process isn't painful.  You will then relax until you are ready to go to sleep.

During the night, the tech monitors your sleep stages.  In addition to monitoring sleep stages, the technologist is carefully observing the patient's breathing in cases of sleep apnea.  Once the test is over, the monitors are detached from the patient.  No special measures need to be taken after Polysomnography.  A normal result from the test shows normal results for all parameters (EEG, ECG, blood pressure, eye movement, air flow and pulse monitored throughout all stages of sleep.  This test may yield a number of abnormal results as well.  If abnormal results are discovered, you will then work out a care plan with your physician. 

If you suffer from a sleep disorder and feel you would benefit from polysomnographic testing, please contact your physician or call Divine Savior Healthcare's Sleep Disorders Lab at (608) 745-5091.

Do any of these statements below represent you?  If you answer yes to more than two, you may want to discuss your sleep problem with your healthcare professional.

1. I feel sleepy during the day, even when I get a good night's sleep.
2. I get very irritable when I can't sleep.
3. I often wake up at night and have trouble falling back to sleep.
4. It usually takes me a long time to fall asleep.
5. I often wake up very early and can't fall back to sleep.
6. I usually feel achy and stiff when I wake up in the morning.
7. I often seem to wake up because of dreams.
8. I sometimes wake up gasping for breath.
9. My bed partner says my snoring keeps her/him from sleeping.
10. I've fallen asleep driving.