Exploradio

It's something our health depends on, but it's often hard to get. That something is a good night's sleep. Researchers are only beginning to understand the consequences of interrupted sleep, and the long-term health effects of poor sleep habits. In this week’s Exploradio, we visit a sleep clinic where doctors are developing new treatments for an age-old problem. We’re visiting one of the Cleveland Clinic’s sleep labs. It’s actually a hotel room near the Clinic where director Ralph Downey and his team conduct sleep studies. It has all the ammentities of a luxury suite, a big comfy bed, TV, and kitchenette. What’s not so comfy is the tangle of wires and straps that Downey uses to monitor his subjects. “Most of these electrodes go on the head to measure brain waves," says Downey. There’re also straps to measure respiration, sensors for oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, cuffs to sense leg movement. Diagnosing sleep issues means a lot of data, and down the hall from the bedroom banks of