Sleep Lab

The National Sleep Foundation estimates that up to 60 percent of Americans experience problems sleeping at some point during their lives. Most sleep problems are temporary and soon subside, but some are associated with the following long-term and sometimes life-threatening medical conditions: Snoring, Sleep Apnea. Restless Leg Syndrome, Chronic Insomnia, Narcolepsy and Excessive

Daytime Fatigue.
Even though fatigued all the time, most people don’t realize they have a sleeping problem unless someone tells them. Recent studies also indicate sleep disorders contribute to the worsening of the following common health problems: High Blood Pressure/Stroke, Heart Failure/Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Fibromyalgia and Weight Control.

However, once properly diagnosed at facilities like the St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center
Sleep Lab, most disorders can be successfully treated or controlled. St. Joseph’s Sleep Lab, located in Suite 309 of the Medical Office Building, features a dedicated staff, new state-of-the-art data collection and analysis system and four newly custom-designed rooms built specifically for sleep studies.
Patient comfort is the number one goal of the Sleep Lab and has resulted in a relaxed atmosphere dedicated to the detection, treatment and prevention of sleep disorders. Sleep is a basic necessity of life – as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. St. Joseph’s goal for the Sleep Lab is to provide the Hot Springs area with the resources to improve an individual’s sleep and restore quality of life.

Comfortable Testing Rooms
The Sleep Lab’s theme-decorated rooms offer the comforts of home. Whether it is the Beach, Sports, Jungle or Renaissance Room, each is climate controlled and sound insulated and has its own queen-size bed. All have cable televisions with remotes, ceiling fans, white-noise machines and private bathrooms with showers. Each room is also equipped with video and audio monitors, so patients can simply request assistance without having to find a call button in the dark. If needed, a handicap accessible room with an adjustable bed and wheelchair shower is also available.

Clinical Staff
Together, the staff has over 60 years of experience in health care, with 15 years dedicated to St. Joseph’s Sleep Lab. Collectively, they are credentialed as: Registered Polysomnographers, Registered and Certified Respiratory Therapists, a Certified Pulmonary Function Technician, a Registered Electroencephalograph (EEG) Technician and Pediatric and Neonatal Respiratory Care Specialists.
In addition, they are all certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Services
The Sleep Lab’s clinical staff conducts overnight studies to help in the diagnosis and treatment of
sleep disorders, and thanks to its new data collection and analysis system, can get the results back to patients’ primary physicians within a few days. Daytime nap and alertness studies are also done for the detection of Narcolepsy and Daytime Sleepiness, and to document treatment compliance and effectiveness for those in high-risk jobs. Tests are scheduled to best fit the normal sleep times of patients and can be done in the daytime to accommodate night-shift workers. The Sleep Lab provides patients and physicians with a resource center that specializes in the treatment of breathing-related sleep disorders.

The First Step
For those who are experiencing problems sleeping, the first step is to see a physician who will assess the problem and, if necessary, refer the patient to St. Joseph’s Sleep Lab. Prior to the polysomnogram - an all-night recording of patterns, breathing, snoring, oxygen levels, heart rhythm and limb movements - patients will receive a packet explaining the process and a questionnaire to fill out and bring the night of the test. A phone number is provided so that specific needs or questions can be addressed. A visit to the Sleep Lab prior to testing is also welcomed and encouraged.