NATCHEZ &045; Sleep medicine as a specialty is one of the fastest growing fields among physicians. And no wonder, said Natchez neurologist Dr. Sajjad Mueed.

&uot;We spend about 50 percent of our time in sleep,&uot; said Mueed, who is board certified in neurology, as well as in the sub-specialties of sleep medicine, neurophysiology and vascular neurology. &uot;And sleep is not just a timeout. It’s an active process in which the body does important jobs such as restoration and consolidating memories.&uot;

Mueed heads the sleep center at Natchez Regional Medical Center, where patients are tested and monitored for disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy. And patients receive treatment with good success, he said.

&uot;With an increasing awareness of the importance of treating sleep problems, primary care doctors are more and more asking their patients about their sleep habits,&uot; Mueed said. Patients believed to have sleep disorders then are referred to him.

Sleep apnea is one of the major disorders. &uot;Apnea literally is ‘no breathing,’&uot; Mueed said. &uot;People with sleep apnea go into spells in which their airways close. They aren’t getting oxygen. Their brain wakes them up to breathe.&uot;

Often the spouse or partner is the one to notice the irregular breathing during sleep. As for the person suffering sleep apnea, he or she can be &uot;fatigued and tired and sometimes even labeled as depressed or not well; but once the breathing is regulated, they get a good night’s sleep and wake up refreshed.&uot;

Without restorative sleep &045; which you do not get when sleep is frequently interrupted &045; a person does not function well, Mueed said.

Sometimes sleep apnea is associated with obesity, he said. Losing weight can help the problem. Sleeping on the side instead of the back can help, also.

The most common symptom of sleep apnea is snoring. &uot;But someone who snores does not necessarily have sleep apnea,&uot; Mueed said.

The sleep disorder has become more common because more people are being diagnosed. &uot;Each year the numbers increase,&uot; Mueed said. &uot;On an average, one in 100 may have sleep apnea, and that is a conservative estimate. It’s probably closer to 10 in 100.&uot;

Sleep apnea over a long period is associated with an increased incidence of disease of the lungs and respiratory system and of the heart. &uot;It can be a contributing factor to diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure,&uot; Mueed said.

The sleep apnea patient entering the sleep center will find a bedroom equipped to resemble an ordinary room in a home. The big difference is a series of wires that will be connected to the patient’s head and body to transfer important data to a computer in the next room. &uot;In general, one time is enough,&uot; Mueed said. The computer measures how the brain is working, the heart, the heart rate, the air flow through the mouth and other body positions that comprise the report made over six hours.

Patients with sleep apnea may be prescribed a &uot;continuous positive airway pressure machine&uot; to use at night to keep the airways open so the patient can breathe normally.

&uot;Sometimes surgery can take care of the problem, removing part of the tonsil and palate, more commonly done now with lasers,&uot; Mueed said.

Other sleep disorders are treatable, as well. They include insomnia, sometimes caused by medications or by other diseases; and restless leg syndrome, &uot;an irresistible desire to move one’s legs also very easily treatable,&uot; he said.

Mueed, a native of Pakistan, moved to Natchez with his wife in June 2004, coming from a group practice in Illinois.

&uot;I was looking for a job where I could use my different skills,&uot; he said.

&uot;I was interested that the hospital was very eager to support my sleep medicine and stroke rehabilitation. I have found the hospital and the other physicians in the community very supportive.&uot;