Thousands of people suffer from or are affected by someone who has a sleep disorder. Since 1998, Good Samaritan's Department of Respiratory Care has offered testing and treatment for sleep disorders through the Sleep Apnea Center. The Center is a laboratory for the evaluation and treatment of sleep related breathing disorders (snoring and apnea) from infants through adults.

Apnea refers to the cessation of breath or breathing during sleep. Snoring is usually the first sign of sleep breathing disorders and occurs due to vibration of excess tissue in the pharynx. Most people are unaware that they even snore and/or stop breathing during sleep. Consequently, snoring not only interrupts the continuity of the scorer's sleep but also affects others' sleep; a spouse loses an average of 1.5 hours of sleep per night.

Other signs of sleep disordered breathing may include; chronic fatigue, GERD. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fibromayalgia, Excessive Daytime Somnolence (sleepiness), forgetfulness, loss of short term memory, excessive caffeinated beverage intake, mood swings/changes, day-time napping, difficulty losing weight, low or no energy, and poor concentration.

Each patient referred to the Sleep Apnea Center is evaluated through a consultation and physical examination performed by physicians trained to evaluate sleep disordered breathing. Patients will undergo sleep studies in large, comfortable bedrooms utilizing the latest technology available for sleep monitoring. A polysomnogram (sleep study) is a procedure that measures the body functions during sleep. This monitoring includes: brain waves, heart rate and rhythm, eye movements, muscle tone, leg movements, respiration, sound vibrations, body position and blood oxygen levels. Electrodes are placed on different parts of the body to record these measurements. During sleep, the body function differently than while awake.

Fragmented sleep can disrupt daytime activities and alter cognitive functions. It can lead to other medical problems involving increased risk to basic health. If apnea is undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to heart attacks, heart disease and stroke. Uncontrolled apnea can be related to weight gain, hypertension and diabetes. People with any of the aforementioned problems may also experience difficulty controlling their medical conditions with medications.