By Clarke Piatt, MD
Co-Director, Sleep Medicine Center
Bryn Mawr Hospital

Being sleepless in America is a health issue shared by an estimated 70 million people; too often, they simply ignore the symptoms and think their problem will go away-only to suffer the consequences.

Lack of sleep affects the quality of our lives in many ways, from performance at work, school, or behind the wheel of a car to contributing to illnesses such as heart disease and stroke. And it's costly, adding an estimated $15.9 billion a year to the national health care bill.

The first step toward getting a good night's sleep is to recognize the problem. According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2005 Sleep in America Poll, Americans are in denial about their sleep disturbances. They report symptoms, such as snoring or waking during the night, and yet don't associate them with a sleep disorder.

Today, the field of sleep medicine services is growing. Whether you have insomnia, sleep apnea, or another of the estimated 70 or more sleep-related conditions, there is help. At the Sleep Medicine Center of Bryn Mawr Hospital, conveniently located in the Philadelphia suburbs, our fully accredited diagnostic and treatment program can get you on track to healthy sleeping habits.

The clues to sleep disorders are easy for you to spot. To name a few: excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring that wakes you up, taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, waking up gasping for breath, having uncontrollable leg movements before or during sleep.

At the Sleep Medicine Center, we start with a complete physical and medical history. There is no one pill, procedure, or device that will solve everyone's sleep issues because sleep disorders can overlap other medical conditions. Paying close attention to your story enables us to prescribe the treatment that's best for you.

Of the dozens of sleep disorders, a few, like insomnia and sleep apnea, account for the majority of cases of impaired sleep.

For insomnia, which is an inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep without interruption, treatment is typically modifying behavior. Something as simple as prescribing a daily walk and exposure to light can help to restore a normal sleep cycle for many patients. Others may need medication to assist the behavior modification therapy.

Sleep apnea is a potentially harmful condition that increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. People with sleep apnea stop breathing for several seconds at a time, often dozens of times a night. Treatment ranges from wearing a fitted, lightweight nasal mask while sleeping to dental devices and surgical procedures.

Other conditions we see often include restless leg syndrome, a tingling sensation in the legs; periodic limb movement, a kicking or twitching of the legs during sleep; and parasomnia, a range of behaviors, such as sleepwalking and night terrors.

Some patients will need a sleep study in our sleep laboratory to diagnose the cause of their sleep disturbance. Similar to an electrocardiogram of the heart, a sleep study is an all-night recording of 10 to 16 different measurements of your brain and body while you sleep.

The field of sleep medicine is rapidly advancing in our understanding of sleep disorders and how to treat them. It's important to see a sleep specialist if you suspect you have a problem. The right diagnosis and treatment plan can dramatically improve the quality of your life.

About Dr. Piatt...

Dr. Piatt is board certified in Sleep Medicine and has a special clinical interest in sleep apnea and related sleep disorders. He is available to see patients at:

Bryn Mawr Hospital
Medical Office Building North
830 Old Lancaster Road, Suite 101
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Tel: (610) 527-4896
More About Dr. Piatt!

Contact Us Sleep Medicine Services at Bryn Mawr Hospital 933 Haverford Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 (610) 526-3300