Change Your Clocks and Change your Sleep Habits

Contact: Ryan Duffy (770) 719-7076 Sarah Locke (404) 880-4600 

Fayetteville, GA (Oct. 22, 2004) -- What makes bears, bats and gophers different from people?  They know the value of sleep. 

Fayette Community Hospital's Sleep Diagnostic Laboratory wants to educate Fayette citizens about the importance of sleep, and is encouraging residents to follow Mother Nature's lead by adding more sleep to their schedules this fall and year-round.

As the season's transition and the time falls back an hour, some animals will go into a prolonged period of rest, or hibernation, unlike humans.  More than 60 percent of American adults consistently fail to get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).  The results of prolonged sleep deprivation can be devastating.

"Even occasional sleeping problems can make daily life more stressful or cause you to be less productive.  Insufficient sleep also can be extremely dangerous, leading to serious or even fatal accidents," said George Leslie, director of Fayette Community Hospital's Cardiopulmonary Services.  "Adequate sleep is essential for good health, and mental and emotional functioning."

Fayette Community Hospital opened its Sleep Diagnostic Laboratory last December.  The Lab evaluates adult and pediatric patients suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling and/or staying asleep, snoring and other sleep-related conditions.

One out of every four Americans suffers from a sleep disorder, the NSF reports.  About 4 percent have chronic sleep apnea, a potentially fatal condition that disrupts breathing during sleep.  Other common problems include insomnia, narcolepsy and periodic limb movement in sleep (PLMS).

"As Fayette citizens reset their clocks, back one hour, we hope they will evaluate their sleeping habits and make the necessary changes that will lead to a healthy and productive lifestyle," said Leslie.
 
Fayette Community Hospital evaluates sleep disorder patients every night of the week.  The Lab recently added two additional evaluation beds and is now capable of seeing four patients each night.  Sleep studies require a physician referral.  Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing problems related to sleep.  For more information about Fayette Community Hospital's Sleep Lab, please call 770-719-6918.  For a referral to a sleep specialist at FCH, call 1-866-900-4321.

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About Fayette Community Hospital

Named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® in 2004, Fayette Community Hospital, a 100-bed acute care community hospital located on Highway 54 in Fayetteville, offers 24-hour emergency services, medical and surgical services, as well as diagnostic and rehabilitation services. With over 800 employees and a medical staff of nearly 350 physicians, FCH is a private, not-for-profit organization and a subsidiary of Piedmont Medical Center, which includes Piedmont Hospital, a 500-bed acute tertiary care facility in the north Atlanta community of Buckhead; Mountainside Medical Center, a 35-bed community hospital in Jasper; Piedmont Physicians Group, a 54-member primary care physician group with 15 offices throughout metro Atlanta; and Piedmont Clinic, a 436-member physician network.