CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Those who have trouble sleeping and are tired of being tired now have a way to find answers.

St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake is pleased to announce the grand opening of a sleep lab located at the Hilltop Professional Building on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

Experts estimate that more than 50 Americans suffer from a sleep or wakefulness disorder, and consequences can be serious.

Sleep disorders often go untreated because the conditions are difficult to diagnose in a traditional visit at a provider’s office.

The new sleep lab and in-home studies solve this problem, and treatment of a sleep disorder can mean drastically improved quality of life.

“Opening the new sleep lab in Clearlake brings an important service to our community at a convenient location,” shares David Santos, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “Rest is a value at the heart of Adventist Health’s history, and we’re proud to help our community more fully enjoy each day through our entire range of services.”

Sleep disorders are more common – and more dangerous – than people realize.

“What some people think of as an average night’s sleep and daytime sleepiness can actually be a condition with major health consequences,” explains Kevin Cole, Cardiopulmonary Services director. “If untreated, sleep disorders can result in heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain and stroke.”

At the sleep lab, special monitors measure brain waves, heart rate, leg and arm movements, breathing and oxygen levels.

Set up like a nice, private hotel room, patients sleep like they usually do but with special sensors to monitor the body.

The sleep lab rooms are designed to provide patients the utmost in comfort and privacy during their stay. A sleep medicine physician analyzes the information gathered during the sleep study to determine if the patient has a sleep disorder.

Cole encourages those experiencing loud snoring, trouble falling asleep, pausing during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness and other sleep disorder symptoms to talk to their primary care provider, who can initiate a sleep study.

Common sleep disorders include obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, sleepwalking and insomnia.

“Treatment can make an incredible difference in your energy and ability to enjoy your day,” Cole said.

Individualized treatment plans may include changes in diet and exercise, education on sleep hygiene or a breathing machine like a continuous positive airway pressure device.

The St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake Sleep Lab is located in the Hilltop building at 15322 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 204, in Clearlake.

Call 707-995-5624 or ask your primary care provider for additional information.