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Getting a Good Night's Sleep
Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. Left untreated, sleep
disorders can endanger your physical and mental health.
In early 2007, Jack Mullins, 53, a retired
police officer from Middletown, traveled
to St. Martin with his family for what
he thought would be a relaxing vacation.
While on vacation, he continuously awoke
during the night and was unable to get a
comfortable sleep. At first he thought nothing
about it, but when he returned home
the sleepless nights continued and he
started having difficulty breathing.
Jack thought something must be
wrong with his heart, so he scheduled
an appointment with the cardiologist who
had performed his bypass surgery in
2005. After his doctor determined that
his heart was healthy, Jack was referred
to Jeffrey Miskoff, D.O., board certified
in Sleep Medicine and Pulmonology, at
Ocean Medical Center. Dr. Miskoff suggested
that Jack undergo a sleep study
at the SleepCare Center at Ocean
Medical Center.
The SleepCare Center Can Pinpoint the Problem
The SleepCare Center offers sleep studies
that provide a comprehensive record of
sleep patterns, leg movements, blood oxygen
levels, heart rhythm, breathing, and
snoring. The test is a record of what you go
through every night while you sleep. The
rooms are outfitted with carpeting, televisions,
and full-sized beds in a warm, comfortable
setting.
When Jack arrived at the SleepCare
Center for his sleep study, he was hooked
up to monitoring equipment and then
attempted to go to sleep. "After the first
two hours of the study, I would fall asleep
for a brief amount of time, but then wake up," says Jack. "It was just like every other
night's sleep." At this point, the nurse
came in and set Jack up with the
continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) machine.
A CPAP machine pumps
oxygen into the lungs
through a mask. The
machine prevents the
airway from constricting
or becoming obstructed,
because pressurized air
flows continuously from
the machine.
After the CPAP
machine was set up,
Jack went back to sleep.
The next thing he remembers
was being awakened
by the technician four hours
later. "It was the best sleep that
I had had in two years," he says. "I
actually had dreams and felt completely
refreshed." Based on the sleep study, Dr.
Miskoff determined that Jack suffered from
obstructive sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when a person stops
breathing for short periods of time while
asleep. Once the brain registers the lack of
oxygen, it will force the person to wake up
in order to reopen the airway and restore
airflow. People who have sleep apnea can
stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a
time. These breathing interruptions can
happen up to 400 times a night. "If left
untreated, sleep disorders can jeopardize
your health," says Dr. Miskoff. "Your
mood, memory, and ability to
concentrate may also suffer.
"Sleep apnea can strike
anyone at any age, even
children," says Dr. Miskoff.
"Because of the lack of
awareness about this disorder,
the vast majority of
those who have it remain
undiagnosed and therefore
untreated — despite
the fact that it is 100 percent
treatable."
Jack now uses the CPAP
machine every night and
acknowledges that it has
improved his quality of life.
"I do not fall asleep during the
day anymore, and when it is time for
bed I can fall asleep right away," Jack says.
"Thanks to Dr. Miskoff and the entire team
at the SleepCare Center, I now have restful
sleep."
 – Robert Cavanaugh
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Fifty years ago, most Americans got eight
to nine hours of sleep a night. Now we
average seven hours — and many people
get by on just five or six. But recent studies
show that skimping on sleep can be
harmful to your health.
Researchers at Columbia University
found that adults who sleep for less than
six hours a night are twice as likely to
have hypertension — high blood pressure
— as people who get more sleep.
Too little sleep also contributes to weight
problems by disrupting the hormones that
regulate appetite. And less than one week
of chronic sleep loss leads to changes in
how the body handles glucose and insulin
— changes that increase the risk for insulin
resistance and diabetes.
Dr. Miskoff recommends between seven
and eight hours of sleep every night to get
the rest you need. If you have trouble falling
asleep, try these tips:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Keep your bedroom quiet and dark. Wear a sleep mask and earplugs, if needed.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol, especially close to bedtime.
- Get regular exercise, but not in the hours before bedtime.
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