Our facility provides a quality program designed to test for sleep disorders in a manner that is easy, effective, and efficient. Your Primary Care Provider will receive the interpreted test results from our Sleep Specialist. We're located at: 1025 S. 2nd Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Directions/Map

For more information, please call 509-527-8050.

Sleep Facts 

• More than 100 million Americans of all ages fail to get a good night’s sleep
• One in three American adults have trouble falling or staying asleep
• Drowsiness is a factor in 100,000 police reported car crashes annually, resulting in 76,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths
• At least 84 sleep-wake disorders lead to lowered quality of life and increased risk of chronic medical conditions
• Untreated sleep disorders can lead to severe, life altering chronic medical conditions such as:
  • Congestive Heart Failure
  • Hypertension
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

"In the past, snoring was more a subject of humor than one of serious scientific investigation, and obstructive sleep apnea was considered to be a medical curiosity of little importance….As noted by the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, it is time for the nation to wake up to the staggering impact of sleep disturbances on the health and welfare of our society. This is an impact that rivals smoking." Eliot A. Phillipson, MD 

Understanding Sleep
Sleep is a highly organized sequence of events and physiological conditions made up of two separate and distinctly different states: "non-rapid eye movement" (NREM) and "rapid eye movement" (REM) or dreaming sleep. Both types of sleep are necessary and occur in healthy sleep. Generally, adults need to sleep between six to nine hours, however there is no "normal" amount of sleep. The optimum amount needed should allow you to function throughout the day without feeling drowsy.

What are Some of the Disorders of Sleep?

• Insomnia — difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea — you or your partner notice periods of loud snoring or there are times when you stop breathing
• Narcolepsy — constant sleepiness and a tendency to fall asleep at inappropriate times
• Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux — nighttime heartburn or waking up coughing and wheezing
• Bruxism (teeth grating) — a very common and bothersome disorder that is medically benign
• Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, & Restless Legs Syndrome — primarily involuntary movement of the extremities during sleep or while awake
• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness — potentially serious because the symptoms may represent a serious medical disorder or have devastating effects themselves 

Is This Me?

• I have difficulty falling asleep
• I have been told that I snore
• I sweat excessively at night
• Suddenly I wake up, gasping for breath
• I have fallen asleep while driving
• I have fallen asleep during physical effort
• No matter how hard I try to stay awake, I fall asleep anyway
• I wake up at night coughing or wheezing
• I experience aching or "crawling" sensations in my legs
• Even though I sleep through the night, I still feel sleepy during the day

How is an Examination Performed?
Testing is done in a comfortable, private room, in a sleep lab, under the order of a physician. A specially trained technician attends to your comfort and carefully monitors all aspects of sleep placing external electrodes on various body sites:

• on the head for brain waves
• on the chest for heart beat
• near the eyes for eye movement
• on the chin for chin movement
• on the lower legs for leg movement
• on the chest and abdomen for recording breathing
• on your finger to monitor oxygen level
• on your lip to measure air flow
• You will also be videotaped to document any unusual sleep occurrences.

The study, called a polysomnogram, will last from evening to morning, approximating your normal wake and sleep times. It is not painful, and it is likely that you will sleep well enough to accomplish a successful evaluation. Patients with sleep disorders very rarely have problems in the lab. Most have long histories of sleep difficulties and find it beneficial to get an accurate diagnosis for their sleep problem. Patients are often surprised at how well they actually do sleep in the lab. 

View our Sleep Lab mailer.

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