Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) afflicts 20 million adults in the United States, and most don’t even know it.
That’s why Oxford resident Kathleen Luciano decided to open the Renaissance Sleep and Diagnostic Center, which specializes in OSA, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and other sleep disorders, in September of last year.
Luciano, a registered respiratory therapist for seven years, said she saw a need for a sleep center in the Oxford area and wanted to bring awareness to those who may suffer from the disease.
Waking up from a restful, rejuvenating sleep is their main goal.
Because OSA restricts the amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep a person receives, it is important to cure the sleeping disorder for health reasons.
REM is the period of sleep during which the brain waves are fast and of low voltage, and autonomic activities, such as heart rate and respiration, are irregular. This type of sleep is associated with dreaming, mild involuntary muscle jerks, and rapid eye movements, which Luciano said is crucial to a good night’s sleep.
Excessive snoring on a regular basis, daytime sleepiness and gasping during sleep are some of the key symptoms of OSA. Other common symptoms include frequent urination at night, morning headaches and obesity.
According to Luciano, if OSA is left untreated, the results could be life threatening. Besides the risk of falling asleep at the wheel, patients are at risk for stroke, heart failure and even high blood pressure.
If a patient is suffering from these symptoms, his or her doctor can refer them to the Renaissance Sleep and Diagnostic Center for an overnight study.
Patients are taken to one of the two, comfy study rooms, where a registered polysonography technician will monitor them using an infrared camera.
‘We monitor their brain waves, their respiratory, their heart, their oxygen levels in their blood, their chest, abdomen and legs,? Luciano said.
If a patient displays any troubles, it transmits back to the technicians in the control room.
Though it may sound like a science experiment gone crazy, the atmosphere of the Renaissance Sleep Center is anything but.
Each of the study rooms dons a light pastel color and decor fitting for anyone’s bedroom. The windows are covered in drywall and insulation to prevent any light from encroaching.
There’s also a television with a DVD player, and patients can speak with the technicians via microphone speaker at anytime during their six-hour test.
‘Some hospitals with sleep clinics are sterile and cold,? Luciano said. ‘I was trying to make it a little more homey and more relaxed.?
The patients tests, which are covered by health insurance, are then examined by board certified sleep doctors. If a patient receives a certain score during their sleep evaluation they may come back another night for a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) test, where various levels of pressure are administered to determine a proper diagnosis.
After patients have months and sometimes years of restless sleep, Luciano said she is most proud of the relaxation and rejuvenation she can bring to them.
‘That’s the thing that makes me feel good,? she said. ‘It changes their life so much.?
The Renaissance Sleep and Diagnostic Center is located at 352 N. Lapeer Rd. directly across from POH Medical Center – Oxford.
For more information, call them at (248) 236) 9334.