Sleep Lab in Bonham, Texas
TMC Bonham has two private sleep rooms to help diagnose and treat most sleep disorders, including sleep apnea. In many cases, an overnight sleep study is the best way to determine if you have a sleep disorder. A good study of your sleeping patterns also requires that you’re comfortable. Our sleep rooms are equipped with a queen size bed, private bathroom and TV.
We also offer at-home sleep studies so patients have the option of sleeping in the comfort of their own bed. Patients meet with a sleep specialist at the hospital first to learn how to use the portable recording equipment, which fits in the palm of the hand.
About 30 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, according to the American Medical Association. Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic health conditions. Some symptoms include morning headaches, weight gain, drowsiness and impaired functioning during the day.
Many do not realize they have a serious medical problem related to the sleep issue and ignore the symptoms.
- Do you snore?
- Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
- Are you always tired or do you fall asleep without warning at inconvenient and even dangerous times?
- Do you often wake up with a headache?
Schedule an Appointment
If you have these symptoms or have noticed a loved one has them, we encourage you to talk with your doctor about scheduling a sleep study. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 903-640-7377.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is characterized by a number of involuntary breathing pauses or “apneic events” during a single night’s sleep — sometimes as many as 20 to 30 or more events per hour. These events are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes, although not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Sleep apnea may also be noted by choking sensations. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the airway. During the apneic event, the person is unable to breathe in oxygen and to exhale carbon dioxide, resulting in low levels of oxygen and increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. The reduction in oxygen and increase in carbon dioxide alert the brain to resume breathing and cause an arousal. With each arousal, a signal is sent from the brain to the upper airway muscles to open the airway. Breathing is resumed, often with a loud snort or gasp. Frequent arousals prevent a person from getting enough restorative, deep sleep.
Sleep Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of sleep disorders are not simple because there can be many different causes. Primary care physicians, pulmonologists, neurologists or other physicians with specialty training in sleep disorders may be involved in making a definitive diagnosis and initiating treatment.
Tests available to help a physician diagnose a sleep disorder include:
- Polysomnography — An in-lab sleep study that records a variety of body functions during sleep, such as the electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow and blood oxygen levels.
- Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) — A test that measures how quickly you fall asleep and whether you immediately go into a deep sleep, called REM. People without sleep problems usually take an average of 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep and do not go into a deep sleep right away.
- Titration — An in-lab sleep study to determine what level and type of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is most appropriate for you. It’s the same study as an overnight sleep study (otherwise known as a polysomnogram or PSG), except before going to sleep, you’re fitted with a mask that delivers PAP, which will keep your airway open while you sleep and prevent apnea.
- Home Sleep Test — An abbreviated test that monitors your heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow and blood oxygen levels. It can be done in the privacy of your home and can be used to diagnose obstructive or central sleep apnea.