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CHRISTUS Sleep Lab

State-of-the-art technology for diagnosing and treating sleep disorders for both children and adults.

CHRISTUS Hospital-St. Elizabeth
2830 Calder St.
Beaumont, Texas 77702

Phone: 409.899.7590

The CHRISTUS Sleep Lab is dedicated to providing complete evaluation, testing, diagnosis and treatment of all types of sleep disorders. Our center utilizes state-of-the-art technology for diagnosing and treating sleep disorders for both children and adults.

Consisting of private hotel-like bedrooms, the CHRISTUS Sleep Lab also provides a sophisticated control area that monitors brain, heart, muscle and breathing activity while the patient is asleep to provide diagnosis and treatment for conditions such as:

Diagnosing a Sleep Disorder

Sleep is a complicated process, made up of two distinct stages: NREM and REM sleep. Measuring these cycles is the first step in diagnosing a sleep disorder.

NREM (nonrapid eye movement) sleep
NREM sleep is composed of four stages. The heart rate and breathing slow down. NREM's latter two stages, called slow-wave stages, are thought to be the restorative part of sleep.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep
REM sleep is characterized by bursts of quick eye movements and high levels of brain activity. REM sleep is the dream stage; people who wake up during REM sleep can often remember their dreams.

Your body is paralyzed during REM sleep, preventing you from physically acting out your dreams. Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing during REM sleep are similar to when you're awake.

Tracking the sleep stages

Medical professionals can track sleep stages in several ways.

Polysomnography (PSG)
During PSG, at least seven electrodes—dime-size sensors painlessly adhered to different parts of the body—are connected to monitoring equipment that records brain waves, eye movements and muscle activity. Heart activity and breathing can also be measured. PSG is conducted overnight, typically at a sleep disorders center. According to the American Academy of Neurology, a single overnight session can reveal important information about sleep stages, disruptions of sleep patterns, cardiopulmonary function, sleep-related body movements and other sleep-associated problems.
Positron emission tomography (PET)
PET measures brain function by measuring the metabolism of glucose, a simple sugar derived from food and used by body cells for energy. This procedure allows researchers to determine which parts of the brain are active during sleep and when they are active.
Multiple sleep latency test
To help measure daytime sleepiness, specialists will often use the multiple sleep latency test and is primarily used to test for narcolepsy. Muscle weakness, paralysis, and sudden sleep onset even when talking or driving are typical symptoms of Narcolepsy. Those taking the test are permitted four or five 20-minute naps every two hours. Medical personnel keep track of how long it takes the person to fall asleep. This test may also include some of the electronic monitoring techniques used in polysomnography.

Convenient, free parking is available at all CHRISTUS Hospital—St. Elizabeth and St. Mary locations, and complimentary valet parking is available at St. Elizabeth's main entrance.