The Fort Hamilton Hospital Sleep Disorders Center

Let us help you get a good night’s rest.

If you’re having trouble with sleep, either too much or not enough, you aren’t alone. An estimated 40 percent of the population suffers with various sleep disorders. If left untreated, chronic sleep problems can take a serious toll on your health. Not only does lack of sleep result in daytime drowsiness and irritability, it can also lead to depression, high blood pressure and reduced concentration/memory. Poor sleep also puts you at an increased risk for car accidents and other unfortunate mishaps.

Fort Hamilton Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center is committed to helping you get a good night’s rest. Our highly trained sleep specialists meet with you individually to discuss your sleep habits, lifestyle and health history. Our comprehensive treatment also includes spending the night in our specially equipped bedrooms. Updated monitoring equipment in these bedrooms allows us to record your sleep patterns, breathing patterns and oxygen levels – all very important factors in diagnosing sleep disorders.

What is normal sleep?

A person with normal sleep patterns goes through four stages of sleep. During stages one through three, the body goes from light sleep to deep sleep. At this time, your breathing, heart rate and brain waves become slower. This happens four to six times per night, every one and a half to two hours. Dreaming occurs during rapid eye movement or (REM) sleep. After a short period of dreaming, sleep returns to stages one through three. A sleep disorder occurs when these normal sleep patterns are disturbed.

What changes can I make to get a better night’s sleep?

If you’re having problems sleeping, there are many things you can do on your own to prepare for a good night’s rest.

Make simple changes in your environment such as adjusting lights, temperature and noise level.
Follow a regular schedule of sleeping and waking, even on weekends.
Limit naps to no longer than one hour, and don’t nap in the late afternoon.
Get plenty of exercise, but not right before bedtime.
Avoid late evening meals. If you’re hungry before bedtime, eat a light snack.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine within six hours of bedtime. While alcohol may put you to sleep, you’re likely to sleep poorly. Instead, try a glass of warm milk.
Don’t smoke. Nicotine can keep you awake.
Try to put worries out of your mind at bedtime. Deal with problems tomorrow, not tonight.

Common sleep problems

While there are many different sleep disorders, two of the most common are sleep apnea and insomnia.

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea occurs when a person’s tongue, excessive tissue or relaxed throat muscles block his/her airway. Breathing stops for frequent, short periods, throughout the night. This pause in breathing can last from 10 to ninety seconds. The body reacts by
struggling for air, briefly waking the sleeper. Breathing again resumes and the person falls back to sleep. This can happen hundreds of times a night, without a person remembering it. If you think you may have sleep apnea, consult with your physician. It
may be helpful to bring your sleep partner along to describe your sleeping habits.

Warning signs of sleep apnea:

Loud snoring followed by a pause in breathing. The pause usually ends with a “snort” or “gasp.”
Restless movements during sleep
High blood pressure
Morning headache(s)
Impotence
Excessive daytime sleepiness

Health risks associated with sleep apnea:

Irregular heartbeat
Heart disease
Trouble concentrating
Stroke
High blood pressure
Eye disease

Successful sleep apnea treatments
Sleep apnea has the potential to seriously compromise a person’s health. The good news is, if properly treated, sleep apnea can be controlled and often eliminated.

The following are some common treatments for sleep apnea:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) - During sleep, air flows from the CPAP machine Into a small mask placed over the nose and/or mouth.
This keeps the airway open, preventing apnea.
Weight loss - Weight loss can potentially reduce or eliminate apnea.
Oral appliances – These are used to keep the tongue from falling back during sleep or to move the jaw forward.
Surgery – May be needed in some cases to widen the airway and/or remove excess tissue.

Insomnia

Everyone occasionally has problems falling or staying asleep. Insomnia occurs when these symptoms persist for more than a few weeks and begin disrupting a person’s lifestyle. When this happens, it’s very important to consult a physician to determine what may be causing this problem and how to make it better. It’s important to note that insomnia tends to be more common in women and older adults.

Typical causes of insomnia:

Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Pain
Menopause
Medication

Things that can help adjust insomnia:

Practice good sleep hygiene.
Treat the underlying cause or causes.
Limit sleep, and then gradually increase it.
Eliminate naps.
Get out of bed if you haven’t fallen asleep within 30 minutes. Do something else until you’re sleepy again.
Short-term use of sleep medication.

Contact Us

Fort Hamilton Hospital Sleep Disorders Center
630 Eaton Ave
Hamilton, OH 45013
513-387-5801