National Sleep Awareness Week leads up to Daylight Saving Time

For immediate release

March 7, 2014
Springing forward an hour for Daylight Saving Time, Sunday, March 9, may have a few people tossing and turning, but imagine waking up every day feeling tired and fatigued. Thousands of Americans suffer from sleep disorders and many more don’t even realize they have a sleeping disorder.

“It is important patients tell their family physicians any changes in sleep patterns, history of tiredness during the day and fatigue,” says Dr. Don Brockman,  CoxHealth Family Medicine, Branson West. “Following an evaluation of a patient’s sleep patterns can help determine if additional testing at a CoxHealth Sleep Disorders Center is necessary.”

“They should also discuss concerns raised by their bed partners such as loud snoring, gasping or unusual movements during sleep,” says Dr. Stephen Clum, medical director of CoxHealth Sleep Disorders Center, Springfield. “The bottom line is, if you don’t feel like you are getting a restorative sleep at night; discuss this with your doctor.”

 

Dr. Dennis Daniels, medical director of Cardio-Pulmonary, Sleep Medicine and Critical Care at Cox Medical Center Branson, explains that sleep disorders can be deadly. 

“There have been studies to suggest sleeping less than 6 hours a night can lead to premature death, while others studies suggest that driving while sleepy or DWS, is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. With this in mind it is imperative that if a person does not feel refreshed upon awakening they begin a dialogue with their health care provider immediately. Most sleep disorders are quite easily treated and the risk of ignoring a sleep problem is too great to ignore.”

All sleep-related problems are studied at CoxHealth Sleep Disorders Centers in Springfield, Branson and Monett. They include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, REM sleep disorders, sleep terrors, sleep enuresis, sleep walking and sleep talking. A referral by a family medicine provider is necessary.

For more information about the CoxHealth Sleep Disorders Centers or to take a sleep quiz, visit www.coxhealth.com or www.coxhealth.com/branson.