Trinity Health :: Services Programs:: Wellness / Prevention

Trinity Health helps people manage their health through a range of services and programs focused on health, wellness and safety.

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
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OUTPATIENT NUTRITION
SLEEP CENTER
MINOT FAMILY YMCA

SLEEP CENTER

Trinity's Sleep Center is located on the 5th floor of Trinity Hospital - St. Joseph’s, and features a small apartment-like bedroom. In another room is an array of electronic devices where technicians monitor patients with video, sound, and other instruments in order to study their sleep habits.
The problems technicians observe and record are varied. The data they gather is used by physicians to diagnosis sleep-related problems such as sleep apnea, and prescribe appropriate treatments. Jutta Schmidt, a respiratory therapist, is the Center supervisor.

Patients must have a physician’s referral in order to participate in a sleep study. Most insurance covers sleep testing and treatment if the individual is referred. Trinity Medical Group Neurologist K. Lee is the Sleep Center Medical Director. Both daytime and evening sleep technologists staff the Sleep Center. Call 857-2348.

Sleep apnea means episodes of cessation of breathing during nighttime sleep that can occur as often as several hundred times in a night. Snoring is a warning that the sleeper may be a victim of sleep apnea.

SYMPTOMS:

Loud Snoring
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Severe mood swings from depression to irritability to anger
Obesity (in many cases)
Low sex drive and a general lack of energy
Dry mouth and sore throat in the morning from sleeping with the mouth open, snoring and gasping for air
Lack of concentration and forgetfulness from sleep deprivation
Morning headaches

CAUSES:

Obesity, which causes flabby fat deposits in the throat area that, can block the air passages.
Enlarged tonsils and adenoids that block air passages.
Deformed or too large uvula.
Too large or thick tongue.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or heartburn, when the stomach acid sometimes moves up into the esophagus stomach acid can produce spasms in the larynx that can block the flow of air to and from the lungs.

EFFECTS:

Heart attack.
Stroke.
High blood pressure.
Sleep deprivation.
Sexual dysfunction.
Severe depression.
Falling asleep at work or while driving.

TREATMENT:

CPAP - Continual positive airway pressure. This is a small air compressor and a mask that's worn during the night to assure that the sleeper continues to breathe. A variety of CPAP-related equipment is available at KeyCare Medical, which is located in Medical Arts. Call 857-7370 for more information.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES - including stopping smoking, cutting back on the use of alcohol and weight loss.

SURGERY.

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