Rest essential in healthy lifestyle

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For Greene County News

XENIA — Greene Memorial Hospital’s Sleep Center will help you get the rest you need for a healthy life.

Greene’s Sleep Center, located in Beavercreek, is designed to help the doctor and patient get to the bottom of the serious sleep interruptions that affect a patient’s life.

“When a person is not getting enough sleep, it affects every aspect of their well-being,” said Dr. Michelle Noel, Sleep Center physician. “Often, when we treat sleep apnea then diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure and depression can improve.”

The sleep center treats obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders and others.

“When people say ‘I don’t have a sleep problem, I can fall asleep anytime anywhere’ — that is a problem,” said Dr. Noel.

According to Sleep Center Manager Crystal Rother, one of the more frequent diagnoses for a patient is obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea comes in more than one form, and it is described as a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This most commonly occurs when the throat muscles intermittently relax and block the airway during sleep. One of the most notable signs is snoring.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include: insomnia, daytime sleepiness, frequent nocturnal urination, snoring, dry mouth and morning headaches.

Although many people associate snoring with obesity, Dr. Noel says that sleep apnea can occur in patients who are thin and have oral anatomy which causes sleep apnea. It can often be inherited.

After receiving a referral from their family physician, an appointment is scheduled for the patient with the Sleep Center staff to determine if they will study the patient overnight. If an overnight study is required, the patient comes to the center about 8 p.m. where they will be monitored and will go home approximately six or more hours later.

“We try to make our patients as comfortable as possible,” added Rother. “We tell them to bring their favorite pillow or blanket.”

Persons being observed are connected to a comprehensive monitoring system that records the patient’s sleep patterns. Afterwards the doctor works to help develop a plan for that patient’s particular situation.

“Sometimes we need to study a patient more than one night depending on their particular situation,” said Rother. “Our goal is to find out what is affecting their sleep and find a plan to get our patients back to a healthier state.”

Many patients who are suffering from sleep disorders can experience a lower quality of daily function of life.

“The quality of life in general is greatly improved once we can help a patient with their interrupted sleep,” said Dr. Noel. “There is less irritability, better personal relationships, better function at work, less risk of accidents. And many times it improves the significant other’s ability to sleep better as well.”

Greene’s Sleep Center is part of the larger group of seven sleep centers offered through Kettering Health Network.

“We feel our lab is unique because we try to make it as comfortable as your own bedroom and we have a convenient location for Greene County residents.” Rother concluded.

For more information about the center call 937-458-4010.

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Story courtesy of The Greene Medical Foundation – Greene Memorial Hospital and Soin Medical Center hospital within Kettering Health Network.

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