Is your snoring so bad that it is affecting your relationship with your partner?
Do you snore and wake up feeling more tired than when you went to bed?
Do you suffer from daytime sleepiness?
The Sleep Clinic at St John and St Elizabeth is here to help...
- What are Sleep Disorders?
- What is sleep apnoea?
- What can be done about it?
- The sleep study
- What happens next?
- Who provides the service?
- Who should seek help?
- Paying for sleep study
- How to arrange an appointment
What are Sleep Disorders?
Sleep disorders blight the lives of many people and of their partners: heavy snoring, for example, can cause relationships to break down, while daytime sleepiness can affect your ability to study or work (and may also be a major contributor to other health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease).
If you suffer from a sleep apnoea a special sleep study carried out by doctors at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth can determine the best way of helping you to overcome it.
What is sleep apnoea?
In some cases daytime sleepiness is caused by not getting enough sleep, but it may also be due to an intrinsic sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnoea (pronounced “apneea”). This is where the breathing is interrupted by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep, which prevents oxygen getting to the brain. This disrupts the natural sleep cycle and causes tiredness during the day which can blight the lives of those affected.
What can be done about it?
Recent advances in the identification and treatment of sleep apnoea have improved the quality of life for millions of people. Sometimes a simple change in lifestyle can help (losing weight, for example). In more extreme cases surgery might be necessary, or night-time treatment with equipment designed to unblock the airway Doctors work out what is most appropriate for each person by carrying out a sleep study.
The sleep study
A sleep study is a way of finding out exactly what is obstructing the flow of oxygen to the brain when you are sleeping. It is carried out by respiratory physiologists who carefully monitor your sleep patterns, limb movements and oxygen “saturation”, as well as your type of breathing.
The tests are complicated and can only be carried out when you are asleep. The results are analysed by a consultant in sleep medicine who determines whether surgery or another type of medical help is required, or if a change in lifestyle is necessary.
The study is carried out in your own home and does not require admission to hospital in most cases.
What happens next?
Based on the results of the sleep study the consultant in sleep medicine will recommend that you are either:
- Referred for dietary advice, or
- Referred for physiotherapy, or
- Referred for surgery, or
- Referred for treatment using equipment to unblock the airway
A report will be sent to your GP with an explanation of the appropriate treatment options. Alternatively, a follow-up appointment with the consultant can be arranged.
Who provides the service?
The sleep disorder service is provided by specialists in sleep medicine, respiratory -medicine, physiotherapy, dietetics, and head and neck surgery to ensure that all patients are afforded care by the appropriate clinician. The key personnel involved are:
- The consultant in sleep medicine
- The consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon
- The respiratory physiology team
- The specialist physiotherapist
- The dietician
Who should seek help?
- People whose snoring is so bad that it is affecting their relationship with their partner.
- People who snore and wake up feeling more tired than when they went to bed.
- People who suffer from daytime sleepiness.
Sometimes people with an existing condition such as hypertension or heart disease are referred for sleep study if their GP suspects sleep apnoea might be making their condition worse.
Paying for you Sleep Study
Your own GP or specialist may request a sleep study on your behalf. Alternatively, you may choose to have an initial consultation with a specialist.
If appropriate, you will be referred for a sleep study. This will be carried out in your own home with the equipment fitted by a qualified respiratory physiologist, and the study interpreted by a consultant sleep specialist.
Please note that some insurance companies may not cover the cost of this treatment.
Appointments & Enquiries
Patients are usually referred to this service by their general practitioner (GP) or hospital consultant, but you can refer yourself for an initial consultation.
For further information or to arrange an appointment please contact us on: 020 7078 3819
The department requires all requests to be accompanied by a letter from a medical practitioner, these can be faxed directly to the department on Fax: 020 7806 4081 or brought with you when you attend for your appointment.
You can also email us in confidence at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
For further information visit the Sleep Unit website: www.thesleepunit.org.uk
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