Service Areas

The Sleep Disorders Center at Sacred Heart Hospital addresses a wide range of rest-related issues. After a physician diagnoses your medical condition, paying special attention to individual needs, he or she will create a customized treatment plan, which may include drug therapy, surgery and suggested lifestyle changes. A visit to the Sleep Disorders Center improves the treatment decision making process, providing physicians with patient-specific data. Sleep technologists use five main tests to obtain this information:

• Polysomnogram
• CPAP Titration
• Multiple Sleep Latency Test
• Maintenance of Wakefulness Test
• Actigraphy

Polysomnogram (PSG)
This overnight, observational procedure provides information about sleep cycles, differentiating between sleep and wakefulness. Using special sensors along with breathing and blood-oxygen monitors enables our sleep technologists to track movement patterns, electrical signals from the brain, airflow, oxygen levels, heart rate and blood pressure. We use these results to evaluate any abnormal sleeping behaviors and disorders. None of this is painful.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Titration
CPAP Titrations refers to the treatment study, often a component of the polysomnogram, for individuals who are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The sleep technologist applies a nasal mask to the patient’s face, which provides air pressure to open the airway during sleep.  Starting at low pressures, the staff will increase the pressure gradually to alleviate pauses in breathing and snoring. 

Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)
Most commonly used to evaluate who exhibit symptoms of narcolepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disorders, the Multiple Sleep Latency Test often follows a regular diagnostic sleep study or polysomnogram. Patients are asked to take four to five 20-minute naps, while the technologists evaluate how long it takes for the individuals to fall asleep. This procedure records similar information to the polysomnogram.

Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT)
The Maintenance of Wakefulness Test is a diagnostic tool, which requires that patients try to stay awake for a series of four 40-minute intervals. During these time periods, sensors record data on body functions, such as electrical activity in the brain, muscle tension and eye movements.

Actigraphy
Often worn for a week or more, actigraphs are watch-shaped sensors that track sleep patterns, physical activity, light exposure and the internal body clock or circadian rhythm. This information allows physicians to provide customized treatment plans to patients who have irregular sleep patterns.

Other Services
The Sleep Disorders Center also partners with area dentists for oral appliances and works closely with otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat specialists) to explore surgical options for patients with chronic sleep-related issues.

If you are suffering from a sleep disorder, we encourage you to come to the Chippewa Valley A.W.A.K.E. support network, which is co-sponsored by Sacred Heart Hospital and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. At the meetings, you can ask our staff questions and interact with others who have sleep-related concerns. For more information, please give us a call at (715) 717-4933.