Ever wondered why it’s advised that individuals should have quality sleep during the night? This is one precaution that so many people take for granted yet it is very important for your general health. It’s important to have an average of 8hours sleep for adults and 10hours of sleep for children. This is to avoid drowsiness during the day and morning headaches that are associated with lack of enough sleep. Sleep disorders can however bar you from having that quality night sleep that you desire. If you consistently have trouble sleeping at night, then it’s advisable to seek help. Seeking help will help you identify what kind of sleep disorder you are suffering from and will lead you to ways of solving the problem.
What does Sleep Clinics Do?
One such place where you can find help for your sleep disorder is a sleep clinic. What is a sleep clinic? What do I expect when I visit a sleep clinic? What are some of the services offered in a sleep clinic? You may ask yourself. A sleep clinic is an outpatient set up where you can visit to seek advice, arrange diagnostic tests and find treatment alternatives for your sleep disorder. Sleep clinics have specialists that are trained to offer help with your sleep disorder. You will find doctors trained in sleep medicine and other related fields like neurology, psychiatry and pulmonary medicine. You can never underestimate the negative side effects of a sleep disorder and so it’s very important to seek help immediately you realize there is a problem with your sleep patterns.
What Happens when you Visit a Sleep Clinic?
In these sleep clinics, a series of tests are done. These tests are called sleep study tests. A sleep study test is also known as polysomnography. This is a test used to diagnose if you have a sleep disorder. During a sleep study test, your brain waves are recorded, the oxygen concentration in your blood is examined, and your heart rate and breathing as well as leg and eye movements are also checked. A common disorder that can be unraveled during a sleep study test is sleep apnea. This is a serious condition that causes your breathing to stop or get shallow. Sleep apnea causes your breathing to pause and this can last from a few seconds to minutes. This is very scary because you are at risk of getting a cardiovascular attack. Sleep apnea is common in individuals who are overweight and this disorder can be rectified with lifestyle changes, surgery, mouth pieces and breathing devices.
Sleep Aids
A common device that helps people with sleep apnea is a CPAP mask. CPAP mask is simply a devise that gently blows pressurized air through your airways constantly to prevent your throat from collapsing. A CPAP mask consists of three parts. A CPAP monitor that draws room temperature and pressurizes it to deliver the right amount of air pressure to help clear the obstruction, a CPAP monitor that transports this air and a CPAP mask that is worn by the patient. Every individual is different so it’s important to talk to your doctor to help you choose a mask that is comfortable for you.
A CPAP mask will minimize snoring, will improve alertness during the day and will help in prevention of health related complications. Your sleep pattern will also improve greatly with this device.
