Advocate Condell doctor raising awareness sleep disorders

Libertyville— The American Sleep Association raises awareness about sleep disorders annually in June. According to the ASA, 40 million Americans suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders each year.

Adam Posner, MD, medical director of the Advocate Condell Medical Center sleep centers, says sleep problems can lead to severe health problems.

“Sleep disorders are a serious health issue and have been proven to impact a patient's risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes and related conditions,” Posner said. “The most common problems include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy.”

According to the ASA, these disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation interfere with work, driving, and social activities. They also account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs each year, while the indirect costs due to lost productivity and other factors is probably much greater.

Advocate Condell has two high-tech sleep centers that help get to the root of sleep problems. “We can diagnose a variety of sleep disorders,” says Christine McBride, supervisor of the sleep, EEG and EMG department. She notes that the sleep centers are staffed with expert technicians and board-certified sleep medicine physicians.

Condell's sleep labs offer polysomnograms, which are sleep tests that monitor brain waves, heart rate, eye movements, muscle activity and chest and stomach movement.

You can view a short video of Dr. Posner talking about sleep disorders at http://tinyurl.com/6y7q7js.

Visit advocatehealth.com and take the sleep quiz. Talk with your doctor about whether you would benefit from a diagnostic sleep evaluation.

If you don't have a doctor, call Advocate HealthAdvisor at (800) 3-ADVOCATE (800) 323-8622.