Sleep Disorders Center

For the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sleep-related disorders

Contact:
1900 South Ave.
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 775-2089 or (800) 362-9567, ext. 52089 (Experienced sleep technologists can answer your questions.)

The Sleep Disorders Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Patients can refer themselves for appointments, or they can be referred by their doctors. To get more information or to schedule an appointment, call (608) 775-2791 or (800) 362-9567, ext. 52791.

Established in 1982, the Gundersen Lutheran Sleep Disorders Center is an accredited medical facility for diagnosing sleep-related disorders and recommending appropriate treatment. These disorders include difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and remaining awake.

The Sleep Disorders Center is staffed by professionals who are experienced in diagnosing and treating sleep-related disorders. The Center was the first full-service sleep disorders center in the state to become accredited and has maintained that accreditation since 1986.

About one-third of all Americans have a sleep disorder that interferes with the quality of their waking lives. Whether the problem is insomnia, heavy snoring or falling asleep on the job, most people with sleep disorders can be helped.

Basic Sleep Patterns
If you're like most other adults, you require seven to eight hours of sleep at night. Some people, though, need more or less sleep than that.

You can determine your own sleep needs by evaluating your daytime alertness. With adequate sleep, you should feel alert throughout the day.

However, if you fall asleep at times when you normally should be able to stay awake, it may be a symptom of a sleep disorder. Such disorders can be dangerous, but it is possible to diagnose and treat them.

Sleep-related problems that can be evaluated at the center include:

Insomnia. Some people have problems falling asleep or staying asleep during the night, or waking up too early in the morning. They also may feel their sleep has not refreshed them.

This condition can have many different causes, including psychological factors (depression or stress), environmental factors (noise), or physiologic factors (breathing disorders or pain).

Other factors which may cause insomnia include misuse of alcohol or sleeping pills, and leg movements or breathing disorders that occur during sleep.

Abnormal Sleep-Wake Rhythm. With this problem, the regular pattern of sleeping and awakening is interrupted. Some individuals find it difficult to resume a sleep-wake schedule that fits their needs. The cause may be jet lag, a change in work shift, or some other disruption in one's daily living schedule.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness. Some people fall asleep at times when they normally should be able to stay awake. A variety of conditions may be responsible for this complaint, including breathing disorders or abnormal leg movements that occur during sleep, or a medical problem called narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy. This disorder begins in young adulthood and lasts a lifetime. People who have narcolepsy often complain of excessive daytime sleepiness. They also may suffer muscular weakness when experiencing anger, surprise, amusement, terrifying dreams or a feeling of paralysis when falling asleep or awakening.

Sleep Apnea and Snoring. Light snoring may just be a normal annoyance during sleep. However, heavy snoring may be a symptom of a serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.

People with sleep apnea stop breathing on numerous occasions during the night. Because of the pauses in breathing, oxygen levels may fall and sleep may be disrupted. This can result in a strain on the heart and excessive sleepiness and irritability during the day.

Patients who have chronic breathing problems or lung disease also may experience a worsening of their symptoms during sleep.

Other Sleep-related Disorders. These include periodic leg movements at night, which may disrupt sleep and result in insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, nightmares, sleepwalking, sleeptalking, teeth grinding, and night terrors.