Although highly treatable, sleep disorders are often ignored or not diagnosed for years, eroding quality of life, contributing to depression, and increasing the risk for disease and injury. Conveniently located in Wynnewood, PA in the Philadelphia suburbs, Lankenau Hospital's Sleep Medicine Services provide diagnostic and treatment services to help you get the sleep you need.

Some of the most common sleep disorders are:

• Insomnia: Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep without interruption. It is frequently a learned behavior, brought on by a combination of poor sleep habits, lifestyle behaviors, and stress. Treatment is typically conducted through behavior modification. Other forms of insomnia, such as Restless Leg Syndrome - a tingling sensation in the legs - and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder - kicking or twitching of the legs during sleep - can be treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication.

• Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Sleep apnea is a potentially harmful medical condition that results in the cessation of breathing for several seconds at a time, many times during the night. It is caused by a temporary blockage of the airway by soft tissues in the throat. This prevents adequate rest and increases the risk for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Symptoms are often first noticed by a bed partner and include snoring, gasping, pauses in breathing, and frequent trips to the bathroom during the night. Although sleep apnea is most common in middle-aged, overweight men, it occurs in all populations, affecting 12 million Americans. Treatment ranges from wearing a fitted nasal mask while sleeping to dental devices and surgical procedures.

• Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a genetic sleep disorder that results in excessive sleepiness, even when adequate sleep has been attained. Symptoms include uncontrollable naps, sleep paralysis - the inability to move at the onset of sleep - and sudden loss of muscle control during times of excitement. Most often, symptoms appear in a person's teens and twenties and become increasingly prevelant in the thirties and forties. Narcolepsy is typically treated with medication.

• Parasomnia: Parasomnia describes a wide range of behaviors that occur during deep and REM sleep. Symptoms include sleepwalking, night terrors, confusional arousal - waking up disoriented - and acting out dreams. This condition occurs in all age groups. Medication and environmental control - ensuring a safe sleep area - are the most common treatment methods.

• Circadian Rhythm Disorder: This condition occurs when a person's circadian rhythm - the body's internal clock - becomes shifted. Circadian Rhythm Disorder can occur because of jet lag, shift work, or other environmental disruptions. Sleep is typically normal, but occurs on an unusual schedule so that the person has trouble fitting into societal demands - falling asleep very early or very late, for instance. Treatment includes light therapy and modification of sleep behaviors.

How to Make an Appointment

You can make an appointment for a consultation by contacting our Sleep Medicine Services directly. In some instances, a referral is not required. We serve patients of all ages from all over the Philadelphia area. Please call 610-645-3400 for more information.