Sleep Medicine

There are a number of sleep disorders that can affect your health and happiness. At the Northwest Sleep Center we specialize in sleep disorders and sleep medicine. It is our goal to help you understand and diagnose those causes so that we can help you rest easy. Below you will find information about some of the most common sleep disorders we help diagnose.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.  These episodes usually last 10 seconds or more and occur repeatedly throughout the night.  People with sleep apnea will partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, but in the morning they will not be aware of the disturbances in their sleep.  The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), caused by relaxation of soft tissue in the back of the throat that blocks the passage of air.  Central sleep apnea (CSA) is caused by irregularities in the brain’s normal signals to breathe.  Most people with sleep apnea will have a combination of both types.  The hallmark symptom of the disorder is excessive daytime sleepiness. Additional symptoms of sleep apnea include restless sleep, loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps), falling asleep during the day, morning headaches, trouble concentrating, irritability, forgetfulness, mood or behavior changes, anxiety, and depression.  Not everyone who has these symptoms will have sleep apnea, but it is recommended that people who are experiencing even a few of these symptoms visit their doctor for evaluation.  Sleep apnea is more likely to occur in men than women, and in people who are overweight or obese.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is characterized by persistent sleepiness and often a general lack of energy, even after apparently adequate or even prolonged night time sleep. EDS can be considered as a broad condition encompassing several sleep disorders where increased sleep is a symptom, or as a symptom of another underlying disorder like narcolepsy, sleep apnea or a circadian rhythm disorder.

Some persons with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), including those with hypersomnias like narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, are compelled to nap repeatedly during the day; fighting off increasingly strong urges to sleep during inappropriate times such as while driving, while at work, during a meal, or in conversations. As the compulsion to sleep intensifies, the ability to complete tasks sharply diminishes, often mimicking the appearance of intoxication. During occasional unique and/or stimulating circumstances, a person with EDS can sometimes remain animated, awake and alert, for brief or extended periods of time. Excessive daytime sleepiness can affect the ability to function in family, social, occupational, or other settings. A proper diagnosis of the underlying cause and ultimately treatment of symptoms and/or the underlying cause can help mitigate such complications.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by throbbing, pulling, creeping, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them. Symptoms occur primarily at night when a person is relaxing or at rest and can increase in severity during the night. Moving the legs relieves the discomfort. Often called paresthesias (abnormal sensations) or dysesthesias (unpleasant abnormal sensations), the sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.

As many as 10 percent of the U.S. population may have RLS. Several studies have shown that moderate to severe RLS affects approximately 2-3 percent of adults (more than 5 million individuals). An additional 5 percent appears to be affected by a milder form. Childhood RLS is estimated to affect almost 1 million school-age children, with one-third having moderate to severe symptoms. Some people with RLS will not seek medical attention, believing that they will not be taken seriously, that their symptoms are too mild, or that their condition is not

treatable. Some physicians wrongly attribute the symptoms to nervousness, insomnia, stress, arthritis, muscle cramps, or aging.

RLS occurs in both men and women, although the incidence is about twice as high in women. It may begin at any age. Many individuals who are severely affected are middle-aged or older, and the symptoms typically become more frequent and last longer with age. More than 80 percent of people with RLS also experience a more common condition known as periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD).

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Periodic limb movement disorder occurs when limbs move during sleep in clustered episodes that can last minutes or hours. Patients who suffer from restless leg syndrome experience discomfort when resting that is temporarily relieved by movement. Patients who suffer from both of these conditions experience fatigue due to a lack of quality sleep and medication is often used to treat them.

Please find links to various resources below. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (208) 262-2379.

•  EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE

Sleep Studies

Sleep studies to help us better understand how you sleep. As you drift off to sleep we carefully monitor how your body responds. These sleep studies are then used to diagnose issues like apnea, snoring, narcolepsy, nighttime behavioral problems, insomnia, periodic limb movement disorder, shift work sleep disorders, and seizure disorders. In order to better accommodate you and your schedule we offer three convenient sleep study options:

Night Studies

Come relax in the comfort of one of our luxurious rooms where you will be greeted by a member of our compassionate team of professional sleep technologists. Our rooms feature amenities such as large flat scree televisions, queen sized mattresses and a quiet environment to ensure that we provide the most peaceful sleep possible.

Day Studies

Can’t sleep at night? No problem. Many shift workers suffer from atypical schedules and we are happy to accommodate any sleep schedule you may have. Our facility and rooms have been designed to be quiet even during the day to ensure that you experience almost no disruption as you drift off to sleep.

Home Sleep Studies

Sometimes there’s no place quite like home and that’s ok. We offer home sleep studies as an alternative to those who prefer to rest and relax in the convenience of their own home. We will provide you with all of the equipment and instructions to complete the monitoring process at home. Once you return the equipment to us we will then carefully analyze the information and provide you the results.

Our Mission

At the Northwest Center for Sleep Medicine, it is our mission to help you feel more rested. We understand how important your sleep is to your health and happiness and are prepared to help. Contact our caring team today and let us return you to the peaceful sleep you deserve.

Dr. Michael Coats, MD is a Sleep Medicine specialist. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Dr. Coats completed residencies in Neurology and Psychiatry as well as a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Coats is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Mary-Alice Jaeger is a Sleep Medicine Specialist. She received her undergraduate and medical degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. She completed her Sleep Medicine Fellowship at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.