A Good Night's Sleep is not a Luxury, It's a Necessity

Community Invited to Attend Open House of New Baylor Waxahachie Sleep Center

Contact: Susan Hall, (214) 820-1817
Email: SusanH@baylorhealth.edu

(WAXAHACHIE, Texas – April 11, 2008) – If you or a loved one is having trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. It is estimated that more than 70 million Americans have some form of sleep disorder.

To help the residents of Ellis County and surrounding areas get a good night’s sleep, the sleep center at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie offers comprehensive diagnostic services for sleep conditions administered by qualified technicians. The staff provides diagnostic procedures and treatments that address sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, insomnia and periodic limb movement disorders. To schedule an appointment, call 972-923-7275.

Edwin Charnock, M.D., medical director of the Baylor Waxahachie sleep center and a sleep medicine specialist on the medical staff, says that a good night’s sleep is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

So how serious is chronic sleep deprivation?
Sleep disorders increase the risk for hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease and obesity, which can lead to diabetes. These disorders also can impair judgment and how you react to adverse situations, reduce your ability to recall information and increase mistakes in performing a task that requires concentration. There also is the behavioral aspect of sleep loss, which includes irritability, mood swings, depression and lack of motivation.

“Not only can sleep deprivation affect your health, but it also affects your ability to drive safely as well as your job performance,” says Dr. Charnock.

What should you do if lack of sleep is affecting your day-to-day ability to function?
“It’s best to consult with your physician. Solving your sleep problems could be as simple as behavior modification before bed time, but some people could benefit from a sleep study,” says Dr. Charnock. “A sleep study at a center with registered polysomnographic technicians and a physician certified in sleep medicine is the best way to make sure that the problem is diagnosed, treated and resolved appropriately.”

So how do you know if you have a sleep disorder?
There are more than 80 types of sleep disorders. If you have one or more of the symptoms below, you may benefit from a sleep evaluation:

• extremely sleepy during the day
• waken frequently and can’t fall back to sleep
• difficulty falling asleep
• restless sensation in legs or jerking movement
• excessive snoring
• wake up gasping for breath
• unusual nighttime “spells” such as sleepwalking or sleep talking

The community is invited to attend an open house at the Baylor Waxahachie sleep center, Tuesday, April 15, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The sleep center is located at the northwest corner of the Baylor Waxahachie campus, 1405 W. Jefferson St.