Sleeping Well in The Woodlands
By Liz Grimm
Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea... it’s not
just a harmless nuisance to the spouse. It is a
serious breathing-related issue that can lead to
potentially fatal consequences.
“It’s been well established that there’s a strong
link between sleep apnea and heart disease,” said
Jefy M. Mathew, M.D., FCCP, D.ABSM, Pulmonary and
Critical Care Medicine physician and board-certified
Sleep Disorder Specialist. “People are always joking
and teasing about snoring, yet it may not be a
laughing matter.”
He explained, “During nighttime bouts of sleep
apnea, the upper airway repeatedly collapses causing
the body’s oxygen level to drop dramatically. This
cycle of airway collapse, drops in oxygen-levels,
and awakenings can lead to high blood pressure,
stroke, and other forms of heart disease. It may
also contribute to acid reflux disease, and adult
ADHD.”
Adding to the danger mix, Obstructive Sleep Apnea
and the extreme daytime sleepiness that may
accompany it is an established cause of increased
work accidents, car accidents, and decreased
productivity.
While the age-old advice to “get a good night’s
sleep” sounds simple, it is estimated that more than
100 million Americans regularly fail to get enough
quality sleep, which can lead to a host of long-term
body and mind problems. Whether the sleep disorder
is snoring or sleep apnea, insomnia, fatigue, or a
combination of afflictions, the impact of
insufficient rest eventually takes a toll on the
body. And in cases of sleep apnea, the problem
affects the spouse as well.
Once the sleep apnea problem is addressed,
there’s often someone else who begins to feel better
. . . the spouse. Dr. Mathew notes, “Curing sleep
apnea significantly helps problems with poor sleep
and often improves intimacy issues in marriages,
reuniting spouses who have spent years sleeping in
separate rooms.”
The good news is that most sleep disorders are
easily treatable, and those who are tired of being
so tired can now seek treatment at the newly-opened
Woodlands Sleep & Wellness Center.
The concept was spearheaded by Pulmonary and
Critical Care Medicine physicians Jefy M. Mathew,
Ather Siddiqi, and Rami S. El-Wali, who are each
board certified in Sleep Disorders Medicine, have
highly-credentialed training and research experience
and collectively possess over 20 years of experience
in all aspects of sleep disorders.
As a result, Woodlands Sleep and Wellness Center
is the first of its kind in the area to be operated
by three board-certified Sleep Disorders specialists
who have undergone formal Sleep Medicine
fellowships. The center treats the full spectrum of
sleep disorders, including Obstructive Sleep Apnea,
Insomnia, Narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorders,
circadian rhythm disorders and limb-movement
disorders (restless leg syndrome for example), to
mention a few.
Located at 8850 Six Pines Drive in Suite 200, The
Woodlands Sleep & Wellness Center features a 3,200-
square-foot luxurious environment that is anything
but what you would expect a clinical sleep lab to
look like. The elegant reception area and waiting
room is well-appointed and surrounded by soothing,
natural colors, similar to an upscale hotel - which
is exactly the point. Patients can relax and sleep
in their own spacious suite that is individually
climate controlled and features a full private
bathroom.
Providing a quality-driven, comprehensive center,
patients are assured that their sleep study results
are read and interpreted on site by a
board-certified, formally-trained sleep disorder
specialist, who in turn provides not only detailed
diagnoses, but treatment recommendations and
long-term follow-up care as well.
“We are excited to introduce Woodlands Sleep and
Wellness Center,” said Dr.Siddiqi. “Diagnosis and
treatment of a sleep disorder is a process that
requires a coordinated approach, so when choosing a
sleep lab, you want to make sure it is operated by
individuals with extensive training and experience
who are not just using computer-generated reports as
the basis for diagnosis and treatment. You also want
to ensure that appropriate after care is available
to you as well.
“For some time now, there has been a need for a
quality sleep lab in the area to help patients who
suffer from various sleep disorders, which we know
can lead to serious health consequences. When we
identify and treat these disorders, patients feel
better mentally and physically. Better health
certainly begins with better quality sleep.”
Harvard-trained, Jefy Mathew, M.D., FCCP, D.ABSM
served as a Clinical Fellow in Pulmonary & Critical
Care Medicine at Harvard Medical School affiliated
hospitals and as a Clinical/Research Fellow in
Sleep, Circadian & Reparatory Neurobiology at
Brigham & Women’s Hospital. He received his medical
degree and Internal Medicine Residency training from
Baylor College of Medicine following his Bachelor of
Science degree in Biology from the University of
Houston, where he was an Honors Program Graduate. He
is board certified in Sleep Disorders Medicine,
Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and
Internal Medicine.
Ather Siddiqi, M.D., FCCP, MRCPI, D.ABSM earned
his medical degree from King Edward Medical College
in Lahore, Pakistan following a Bachelor of Medicine
and Bachelor of Surgery degree. He completed further
training in the United Kingdom, earning Membership
of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI).
He completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic
Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio, and served as a
Clinical Fellow in Pulmonary & Critical Care
Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
as well as training at the University of
Texas-Memorial Hermann Hospital sleep laboratory. He
is board certified in Sleep Disorders Medicine,
Pulmonary Diseases and Internal Medicine.
Rami El-Wali, M.D., D.ABSM received a bachelor of
science in Biology and a medical degree from the
American University of Beirut School of Medicine. He
received the Goodpasture Award for best performing
resident in Internal Medicine at the University of
Kansas School of Medicine where he also served as
Chief Resident. He completed his training in
Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston where he
served as Chief Fellow for the section during his
last year of training. He is board certified in
Sleep Disorders Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, &
Internal Medicine.
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Mary Rose is also part
of the Woodlands Sleep & Wellness Center team and is
an invaluable asset in the treatment of Insomnia and
other related sleep disorders. Emphasizing
non-pharmacologic treatment, she utilizes Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy and other approaches for the
treatment of acute and chronic Insomnia. These
treatment methods have been shown in clinical trials
to effectively treat these disorders, and are in
fact the preferred method of treatment as advised by
the National Institute for Health (NIH). Dr. Rose is
affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine in the
Department of Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care.
Although the most common symptoms of Sleep Apnea
are snoring and sleepiness, other symptoms may
include:
- Awakening feeling unrested.
- Feeling fatigued and drowsy during the day.
- Difficulty concentrating or memory problems.
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
- Restlessness at night.
- Heartburn or reflux disease.
- High blood pressure that is difficult to
control.
- Morning headaches.
- Awakening frequently with a dry mouth or
sore throat.
For more information about Woodlands Sleep &
Wellness Center, visit
www.WoodlandsSleepCenter.com.
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