Jacksonville, Fla. – Don’t let daylight-saving time disturb your sleep patterns. The Sleep Disorders Center at Shands Jacksonville is hosting an open house Thursday, Oct. 23, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of Tower I. Whether it’s a time change or something more serious, sleep is not something to yawn about. Van Simmons, Clinical Coordinator for the Sleep Disorders Center, says, “We want our community to know that we have just opened a ‘state of the art’ sleep center and are available to treat a wide variety of sleep disorders.”
Sleep is an important function of the brain, occupying nearly a third of each day and strongly affecting the remaining two-thirds. Sleep disturbances can affect both young and old. Impaired sleep can diminish performance at school or work and even cause difficulties in marriage or social life.
The Sleep Disorders Center evaluates and treats all sleep disturbances ranging from insomnia to teeth grinding. The most common sleep disorder seen is usually Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Simmons says, “Apnea means an absence of breath. Many patients stop breathing or snore loudly during their sleep. Sleep should be a time for our bodies to relax and rejuvenate. If someone is resting poorly, then many other health problems may occur such as depression, stroke, or high blood pressure.” He also adds, “Whether the patient has frequent restroom visits or morning headaches, there is frequently an underlying sleep disorder that could be to blame.”
The Neuroscience Institute at Shands Jacksonville and the University of Florida Department of Internal Medicine Jacksonville offer a comprehensive eight-bed sleep disorders center staffed by a multidisciplinary team. They are led by board-certified sleep medicine specialist, John DeCerce, M.D., a UF assistant professor of neurology, and James Cury, M.D., a UF associate professor of internal medicine and chief of the UF Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care.
For more information about The Sleep Disorders Center at Shands Jacksonville or details on the open house, call 244-9498. The Sleep Center is located on the fourth floor of Tower I, 580 W. Eighth Street.