2006 Press Releases
Hospital’s Health Night focuses on sleep disturbances Are you having trouble sleeping? Not getting a good night’s sleep is more than just an annoyance. Interrupted sleep contributes to serious health problems, affects relationships and daily performance. Sleep disturbances and their consequences will be addressed at Rome Memorial Hospital’s Health Night lecture Thursday, June 1. The lecture will take place in the hospital’s classroom. Presenting the program is sleep specialist and pulmonologist Mohammed Seedat, M.D., who is certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine. He will discuss the most common sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia and REM behavior disorder. “Snoring, frequent awakenings at night and morning headaches are only a few indicators of sleep disturbances,” Dr. Seedat said. According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 75% of adults reports having a symptom of a sleep problem, but most people ignore the symptoms. Disturbed sleep is troublesome when you wake feeling unrefreshed and experience daytime sleepiness, but it contributes to more serious health concerns. “Sleep disorders have a direct connection to hypertension, stroke and congestive heart failure,” explained Dr. Seedat. “Patients experience decreased work performance and quality of life.” When one member of the family has trouble sleeping, it affects other members of the household. Relationships can suffer when a spouse or partner is experiencing sleep disturbances such as snoring or waking in the night, reports The National Sleep Foundation. The Foundation’s “Sleep in America” 2005 poll shows that “when disturbed by a partner’s sleep problem, the other partner loses an average of 49 minutes of sleep a night”. The National Sleep Foundation urges adults to be aware of sleep problems and get treatment. Area residents are able to do this thanks to Rome Memorial Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center, the first of its kind in Rome. The center offers sleep studies to help pinpoint the cause of sleep problems and plan appropriate treatment. The test monitors brain, heart, muscle and respiratory activity while the patient sleeps in a comfortable bedroom. Data collected from the visit is interpreted in a report for the referring physician. Previously affiliated with the State University Hospital in Syracuse, Dr. Seedat joined Rome Memorial Hospital’s medical staff in 1996. He specializes in pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine and speaks four languages. His office is located at 1316 Black River Blvd. in Rome. Health Night is a free monthly lecture series. Advance registration is not required. Refreshments will be served. | 
