Free Sleep Apnea Education - November 20, 2013 at Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, Maryland

Doctors Community Hospital is offering a free sleep apnea support group on November 20 to help people improve the quality of their lives by getting a better night’s sleep. 

The A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well And Keeping Energetic) support group is for those diagnosed with sleep disorders, interested in sleep apnea or have a family member who wears a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask. This program gives people a better understanding of their sleep disorders and treatments. Participants share their experiences of diagnosis, treatment and tips for coping with lifestyle changes.

When:             November 20, 2013; 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Where:            Doctors Community Hospital

                        8100 Good Luck Road; North Building; 5th Floor

                        Lanham, Maryland 20706

RSVP:             301-DCH-4YOU or 301-324-4968

There are different types and stages of sleep that people cycle through during normal sleep. With sleep disorders, sleep is repeatedly interrupted and people cannot cycle normally through these stages. As a result, people may feel tired, fatigued and have trouble concentrating and paying attention while awake.  Also, chronic lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can put people at various health risks:   

·         Heart disease and stroke—Not enough or poor quality sleep can increase people’s chances of developing heart disease, and increase their chances of developing a stroke.

·         High blood pressure—In time, a lack of sleep could impact the body’s ability to regulate stress hormones, leading to high blood pressure.

·         Diabetes—Diabetes and sleep disorders often go hand in hand. Diabetes can cause sleep loss, and there’s evidence that not sleeping well can increase the risk of developing diabetes or make it harder to manage.

·         Obesity—A lack of sleep disrupts hormone balances that seems to be related to an increase in hunger, appetite and cravings for high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods, sometimes leading to obesity.

If people answer yes to two or more of the below questions, they may have or are at risk for sleep apnea, and should speak with their primary care physicians to learn whether a sleep study is right for them. 

·         Do you snore?

·         Do you have high blood pressure?

·         Do you have difficulty staying awake?

·         Do you ever wake up gasping for breath?

·         Do you feel excessively tired during the day?

·         Have you ever been told that you stop breathing during sleep?

·         Is your neck measurement greater than 17" (male) or 16" (female)?

·         Do you drink alcohol or take sleeping pills or sedatives before going to sleep?

·         Do you smoke?

At Doctors Community Hospital –the only sleep program in Prince George’s County currently accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine – overnight or daytime sleep studies are conducted seven days a week.  Within each of its ten private rooms, the hospital offers hotel-style amenities that include a flat screen television, DVD, full bathroom and individually controlled temperatures.  During the sleep study, electroencephalography (EEG) monitors the sleep stages and cycles by recording electrical brain activity through the scalp. This painless process identifies possible disruptions in sleep patterns. Sleep studies also measure things such as eye movements, oxygen levels in the blood (through a sensor—there are no needles involved), heart and breathing rates, snoring and body movements.

For more information, please call 301-DCH-4YOU or 301-DCH-4968.