CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Sleep Center

CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Sleep Center is the only AASM accredited sleep center in Northern New Mexico.

The Sleep Center at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center works with individuals suffering from all types of symptoms related to sleeping disorders. A state-of-the-art outpatient sleep laboratory, combined with trained medical and technical staff dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep/wake disorders, work with adults and children to diagnose, alleviate and cure the symptoms,as well as underlying causes of sleep disturbances.
Polysomnography, a sleep study, is used to evaluate the quality of a patient’s sleep. It seeks the causes, such as respiratory difficulties or other abnormalities. A comfortable, private room is provided to patients. A technician gathers measurements from the patient during his or her sleep cycle. An EEG collects “brain waves” using electrodes placed on the scalp; sensors at the nose, mouth, chest and abdomen measure breathing; and an EKG measures heart rhythm from small electrodes on the chest. Within immediate reach, a technician constantly monitors from a remote recording room.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night, or staying awake during daytime hours. Most sleep disorders can be improved or cured, but the effectiveness of treatment will depend on a detailed evaluation, an accurate diagnosis, and cutting-edge therapy.

Sleep Disorders affect not only the person with the disorder but also people around them. Sleep disorders are impacted by many daily problems, including stress, which may lead to insomnia or brain disorders such as narcolepsy. While some disorders are treated with one night’s dose of a sleep aid, some require more intensive forms of treatment, such as behavior therapy or prescription medication.

Types of sleep disorders include:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
OSA causes people to struggle for breath because the passage in the back of the throat falls shut during sleep. In many cases, this causes loud snoring. Sleep Apnea has been shown to contribute to:

• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Accidents caused by sleepiness

Parasomnias
So named because they are events associated with sleep, “parasomnias” include sleep walking or talking, nightmares, night terrors, teeth grinding and other abnormal sleeping behaviors. These can simply disturb sleep or can be symptoms of serious medical conditions that endanger the patient.
Insomnia
Many individuals can have difficulty falling asleep due to stress; however, chronic insomnia may be caused by a variety of triggers, such as depression, anxiety, prolonged poor sleeping habits including unnatural sleeping schedules, or restless leg syndrome. Where indicated, insomnia can be treated with behavior therapy and/or medication.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders (CRD)
Most commonly caused by shift work or multi-time zone air travel, CRDs are disruptions of the body’s internal clock, which may cause sleepiness and/or insomnia at inappropriate times.
Excessive Sleepiness and Narcolepsy
Causes of excessive sleepiness include sleep apnea, Circadian Rhythm Disorders and insufficient sleep. One cause, however, is a brain disorder called narcolepsy. Narcolepsy, caused by an abnormality in the brain’s control of the sleeping and waking states, may cause muscle weakness, awakening with a sensation of paralysis, or dreaming while awake. This disorder is treated with a variety of medications.