It's 3:00 a.m. and you can't sleep.  The reason?  Your partner's snoring.  This has gone on for several months and it is not only affecting your work and your daily routine, the problem is affecting your marriage.

It's 10:00 a.m. and you have several reports due that afternoon.  You can't focus on your work though.  You are just exhausted.  You thought you had a restful night's sleep because as soon as your head hit the pillow you were out, but did you?

You have had a weight problem for some time now and cannot seem to fix it.  You are nervous throughout the day and eat to boost your energy because you are so tired or out of sheer nervousness.  Your health is declining.  Your joints ache.  You are depressed and you can't seem to get well.  You take several medications for various things including your heart, blood pressure and anxiety.  What is happening to you?

You drive your daughter to school at 7:00 a.m.  She screams, "Dad, watch out!"  You almost run a stoplight.  You must have nodded off to sleep.  Not only could you have crashed your care into somebody at 65 miles per hour, but also you could have killed your little girl.  Why did you doze off?

Do the eye opening experiences mentioned above make you realize you have numerous problems, or maybe it's just one with a domino effect?  

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder that is frequently accompanied by loud snoring.  People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing frequently during their sleep sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.  Loss of breath is never a good thing if left untreated.

Sleep Apnea can be caused by frequent, partial or complete collapse of the breathing passageway during sleep.  In some people, apnea occurs when the tongue muscle and soft tissues near the back of the throat relax and sag, the airway becomes blocked, making breathing difficult and noisy and even stopping it altogether.  

From farmers to financial planners to teachers and mothers, sleep disorders can affect all of us.  The worse thing you can do, if you know somebody with this problem, is nothing.  It is okay to have sleep apnea, but it is not okay if left untreated.

The Answer:  Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center's Sleep Center

The sleep center's staff evaluates the level of excellence by providing a clean, professional and caring atmosphere.  A comfortable setting that includes a private room with a shower and bathroom helps to ensure the best possible night's rest while the study is being performed.

Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center's Sleep Center in conjunction with SleepElite captures the meaning of a good night's sleep by finding a treatment that best suits a patient's needs.  Once a sleep study is complete, a patient can carry on, business as usual, the next day.

A registered sleep technologist will review the lab results and communicate his findings with the patient's physician.

A person spends a third of his life sleeping, or is suppose to anyway.  The goal of Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center's Sleep Center is to contribute as much as possible to a good night's sleep.

Treat or Not To Treat, A Life Saving Question

Sleep Apnea is sometimes referred to as the slow death because some of the risks include heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, loss of productivity and interpersonal relationship problems.  Over time the problems only progress.  The Kentucky Highway Patrol reported hundreds of accidents that were attributed to lack of sleep.  Consult your family physician or one of our certified experts at the Paul B. Hall Sleep Center.

For more information, please contact:
Paul B. Hall Sleep Center
825 South Mayo Trail
Paintsville, KY 41240
Telephone:  (606) 789-2805

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