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“Almost all sleep disorders are treatable,” he said. “Most are chronic and need to be treated over time.” At a sleep center, the technicians monitor patients at night and record their findings. Doctors evaluate a patient’s medical history, review the tests and decide on a treatment plan. Dr. Ryan Conrad of United Sleep Medicine said the two disorders he sees the most are insomnia and sleep apnea. The majority of his patients are sleep deprived, some only getting five to seven hours of sleep a night. Sleep deprivation is not kind to the body. Conrad said some studies have shown that its effect on cognitive abilities is comparable to consuming alcohol. In addition, sleep deprivation has also been linked to increased pain sensitivity, headaches, fatigue and a change in one’s appetite, which may lead to weight gain. “Sleep deprivation can lead to a number of other health problems,” he said. “It can have a pretty profound effect on your life.” The amount of sleep a person needs is determined by his or her age, Conrad said. For an adult, the average need is between seven and nine hours a night. “The younger the person is, the more sleep they need,” he said. “For children, that can be up to 12 hours.” Fleishman has seen an increase in the number of children referred for sleep studies. He said sleep deprivation in children can lead to inattention, hyperactivity and conduct issues. In adolescents, he frequently sees individuals with irregular sleep-wake patterns. At any age, not getting enough sleep often causes a person’s work performance to suffer. Fleishman said a groggy, irritable person who is having difficulty focusing is more likely to make mistakes. Prior to seeking treatment, Hopel was tired all the time. He said he constantly wanted to take naps during the day. But his snoring, especially, was a problem. Things had gotten so bad he had begun sleeping in a separate room from his wife. “My snoring was so loud it was keeping her up all night,” Hopel said. “She stayed in the bedroom, and I started sleeping on the other side of the house.” In April, Hopel went to a second sleep study. The follow-up determined the pressure setting for his Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. The machine is about the size of a shoe box and sits on the floor, pumping pressurized air through a hose into a face mask. The mask covers a person’s nose and mouth. By blowing air in, the machine keeps the nasal and throat passages open, preventing snoring. Hopel’s sleep improved dramatically as soon as he started using the machine. His snoring stopped, he is not as tired during the day, and now he is back in the bedroom, sleeping through the night. “It looks like I’m wearing a jet fighter mask,” Hopel said recently. “It takes a little while to get used to, but it’s worth it.”CV 60|August/September • 2009

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