01/03/2008 
More than 40 million Americans experience chronic sleep disorders and more than 20 million others have occasional sleep problems. Sleep disorders describe a variety of problems and conditions that prevent restful sleep. Stemming from a variety of sources, sleep disorders are sometimes hard to diagnose and treat. Sleep labs help doctors with these hard-to-diagnose cases by allowing them to watch how their patients sleep in a controlled environment located within a hospital. Sleep labs are especially helpful in diagnosing disorders such as sleep apnea, hypoapnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy, all of which have common and broad symptoms.
For those who have trouble sleeping or experience sleep disorders, a doctor may recommend observation by a specialist in a sleep lab to see how patients sleep and how their bodies function during sleep. This is more effective in determining the cause and type of sleep disorder than relying on patients' reports of symptoms. Sleep labs determine, in a controlled environment, the problem or problems preventing patients from having a full night's sleep.
Some of the most common tests run in sleep labs are the polysomnogram, the multiple sleep latency test, and the multiple wake test, all of which can diagnose a wide variety of sleep disorders. A polysomnogram, for example, records several body functions during sleep: brain activity, eye movement, heart rate, breathing rate, and body muscle movements. Seeing how these different systems function helps sleep researchers and doctors analyze and diagnose sleep problems and disorders. The multiple sleep latency test measures the amount of time necessary to fall asleep and the body's movements during sleep. This test can determine the reason a patients takes a significant amount of time to fall asleep on a regular basis. The multiple wake test determines if an dhow well a person can stay awake during normal waking hours. If a patient's persistent sleep problem has a significant impact during waking hours, this test can help determine how the can stay awake better. Sufferes of narcolepsy, for instance, might find the results of a multiple wake test useful.
If you are experiencing trouble staying awake, falling asleep at night, or staying asleep, the sleep center at Chesterfield General Hospital may be able to help. Speak with your doctor about your symptoms and the sleep center or contact Dr. Mohamed Soliman, Medical Director of CGH Sleep Center for more information. Dr. Soliman can be reached at Carolina Physicians Group, 843-537-5112.