Poor sleep and sleep disorders lead to an impaired quality of life and decreased life expectancy. Disorders of sleep and wakefulness are very common and the majority of those affected remain unidentified and undiagnosed.
Many sleep disorders are related to lifestyle issues such as poor sleep hygiene, shift work and jet lag, but there are many sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias, REM sleep behavior disorder that require accurate diagnosis and treatment.
The UBC Hospital Sleep Disorder Program was established in 1981 and is the provincial referral centre for complex sleep disorders. It is a multi-disciplinary program including Psychiatrists, Respirologists, a Neurologist, and a CPAP educator.
We see patients with a variety of sleep disorders from all over BC, the Yukon and some parts of Alberta. We provide access to both home and in-hospital sleep monitoring and are responsible for the majority of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education in sleep and sleep disorders.
Chronic fatigue, insomnia, sleep apnea and narcolepsy can often be effectively treated by a sleep physician. A sleep study (polysomnogram) is a sophisticated, in-depth diagnostic tool to help you and your physician better understand the types and severity of your sleep challenges. The results will be used to develop an appropriate and effective sleep management program to address your conditions.
The study is conducted in a comfortable room and bed in the sleep lab, where you stay overnight and captures important information about the characteristics of your sleep, including some or all of the following:
Brain waves
Eye movements
Muscle tension
Heart beat
Breathing patterns and effort
Leg movements
Blood oxygen level
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Talk with your doctor for a referral to the program. A referral by family physician or specialist is required.
Adults aged 19 and over
Children are seen occasionally with special arrangements