National Capital Sleep Center

The National Capital Sleep Center at Suburban Hospital, established in 1982, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with sleep/wake disorders. The Center is a fully equipped diagnostic and treatment facility specifically designed to meet the needs of patients suffering from sleep-related disorders. One out of five people in the United States has a sleep disorder and suffers from the consequences of excessive daytime sleepiness that regularly interferes with daily activities. For information about our Pediatric Sleep program, please click here.

Common Symptoms of Sleep Disorders

• Loud and/or irregular snoring;

• Excessive daytime sleepiness;

• Depressed or anxious mood;

• Interruptions in breathing during sleep; and/or

• Complaints of inability to fall asleep or maintain sleep.

Most Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea Syndrome — People with sleep apnea may stop breathing several times during sleep. These apneic episodes last from 10 to 120 seconds and may occur as often as several hundred times a night. Symptoms include heavy snoring, fitful and restless sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression.

Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS) — People with this disorder may not receive proper rest at night and consequently feel as though they have insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness.

Narcolepsy — People who are too sleepy during the day, or have almost irresistible urges to take daytime naps, may have narcolepsy. These individuals also may experience muscular weakness when they are angry, surprised or amused.

Conditional Insomnia — There are many causes of insomnia. The most common factors causing conditional insomnia are the following:

• Depression,

• Stress,

• Noise/environmental conditions,

• Breathing problems,

• Medical illness, or

• Certain drugs, medication, alcohol.

Getting a Referral

If you believe you have a sleep disorder, you should consult your primary care physician. Primary care physicians or specialists can refer patients to the National Capital Sleep Center at Suburban Hospital. Patients referred for an evaluation will receive a call from the Sleep Center staff to explain details about the testing procedures. In addition, all billing and administrative issues or questions will be answered before patients are tested at the Center. Most insurance contracts and HMOs are accepted.

We recommend the following steps to arrange for a sleep study.

1. Review the need for a sleep study with your Primary Care Physician.

2. Click here Sleep Study Prescription Referral Form to print an adult or child prescription form. Take it to your primary care physician to complete.

3. Call the National Capital Sleep Center at Suburban Hospital at 301.896.3039 to schedule the sleep study. You can mail or fax your Prescription Referral Form to us.

If you do not have a primary care physician, please call our free Physician Referral Service at 301.896.3939 (press option #1). If you have any further questions, please call 301.896.3039.