43 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders constantly leaving them feeling tired. There is hope. Sleep disorders can be treated. At Albany Area Hospital & Medical Center, our medical professionals focus on helping patients to identify and overcome sleep disorders.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) accounts for 80 percent of all sleep disorders. In a given night, a person with OSA may stop breathing 20 to 60 or more times per hour. Due to these periods of non-breathing, people may experience: snoring, gasping or choking sensations, excessive daytime sleepiness, impotence, mood swings, weight gain, frequent night time urination, excessive sweating during sleep, high blood pressure and early morning headaches.  

When breathing stops during the night, blood oxygen levels drop.  The sleeper is awakened just enough to inhale and resume breathing, often without being aware of the sleep disruption. In fact, most people with sleep apnea may be unaware of the problem.  However, this repeated stress on the heart, brain and other organs cause a myriad of serious negative health consequences.  Consider this, persons with undiagnosed or untreated OSA are: 

          2 -4 times more likely to develop complex arrhythmias

          2-3 times more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure)

          2 times more likely to suffer stroke

          Consume 2 times the healthcare dollars

          Have 50% more physician visits

Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it decreases the likelihood of other co-morbidities.

Through clinical study, Albany Area Hospital & Medical Center’s health care providers help patients uncover their specific barriers to sleep. They also provide follow-up care to manage sleep disorders and help patients receive restful sleep and regain control of their lives.

A widely accepted treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea is positive airway pressure therapy, which includes using a bedside device to deliver pressurized air through a small mask or nasal pillow system. The device is called a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure system – CPAP for short.

Regular use of CPAP therapy can dramatically improve your quality of sleep, but it doesn’t always happen overnight. That is why Albany Area Hospital sleep services will be there each step of the way, guiding you through a phased approach to better sleep.

1 in 4 patients are at risk for sleep disorders, with up to 90 percent of those still unidentified. Speak with your health care provider about your sleep concerns. 

To schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider, call 320-845-2157.