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Helen Ellis Memorial Center treating sleep disorders

Mark Schantz/SUNCOAST

Stan Forman, Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital Sleep Center coordinator, standing, shows how a patient is readied for monitoring of brain waves, breathing, heart wave and rate, and muscle movement with the help of technician Terry Anzaldi.

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: May 16, 2009

Some people stop breathing during the night only to be awakened by their own loud snoring. Others have conversations with themselves, prepare and eat a meal while asleep, suffer night terrors and sudden uncontrolled muscle twitching or sleepwalk.

Many times its family members and friends who make a person suffering from a sleep disorder seek treatment.

The Dream Team at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital's Sleep Center has seen it all and can offer relief to most. Certified technicians stay up all through the night watching monitors and trying to unravel the mystery of a person's deranged sleep cycle.

Stan Forman, one of the certified sleep specialists and the Sleep Center coordinator, said patients of all age suffer from sleep disorders. Each month, slightly more than 20 patents come to the center at the hospital to seek relief.

He is surprised to learn how many people still do not realize Helen Ellis Memorial has a state-of-the-art sleep center with two beds and certified sleep technicians.

During patients' overnight stays at the Sleep Center, technicians monitor their brain waves, sleep rhythm, breathing, muscle control, heart rate, eye movement and other factors. These factors help determine exactly how much rest a person actually receives during the night.

After their stay, the patients receive a continental breakfast.

Some patients appear to be sleeping but they actually stop breathing during the night because of a malady called obstructive sleep apnea. They never achieve the rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep state, a requirement for a good night's rest. Instead, their bodies must repeatedly restart their breathing, short-circuiting the path to REM.

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a serious medical condition that should be immediately treated, Forman said.

In sleep apnea, breathing stops or becomes shallow dozens of times each hour. This causes a reduction in the apnea sufferer's blood oxygen level.

Apnea not only deprives its sufferers of restful sleep, leaving them tired and listless during the day, the condition can put them at higher risk of cardiovascular disorders such as stroke, high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Studies have shown a correlation between loss of sleep and weight gain, Forman said. People who are deprived of good sleep have a decreased metabolic rate, meaning they burn up fewer of the calories they consume.

In addition, sleeplessness can make people crave sweet, starchy foods that can be converted into body fat.

Other patents come to the center after experiencing night terrors, during which they suffer from extreme anxiety but cannot fully regain consciousness, or because they constantly grind their teeth while sleeping.

Some have insomnia and cannot fall asleep, while others suffer bouts of paralysis during sleep or constantly are awakened by twitching muscles or acting out in dreams.

People who suddenly fall asleep during the day are fighting uncontrollable bouts of narcolepsy.

This can be particularly dangerous if they are driving or operating machinery when they lapse into unconsciousness with little or no warning.

This sleep disorder is different from sleep apnea, Forman said.

Once sleep disorders are accurately identified, most can be treated or managed effectively, Foreman said.

Many sleep apnea patients find relief after being prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure breathing device. The equipment delivers, usually via a mask, a continuous flow of air into the lungs of sleeping people, allowing them to enjoy all stages of sleep, including REM.

Patients with narcolepsy are tested at the Sleep Center during the day. Their malady is usually treated with medication.

There are other sleep disorders that scientists believe are inherited, Forman said.

Anyone who believes he or she has a sleep-related medical problem can contact the Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital Sleep Center by telephone at 727-756-7660 or via e-mail at hesleep@mail.uch.org.

Mark Schantz can be reached at 727-815-1075 or mschantz@suncoastnews.com.

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