Sleep Center

Rest Easy: Sleep Care That Fits Your Life

Sleep changes everything. When you cannot get it, your work suffers, your relationships strain, and your health pays the price. The good news is that most sleep disorders can be improved or cured with the right evaluation and treatment. CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Sleep Center in Santa Fe is the first sleep center in Northern New Mexico accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Your care team helps patients across Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Española, Taos, Pojoaque, Eldorado, Las Vegas, and surrounding communities find real answers for sleep problems and get back to feeling like themselves.

Signs It May Be Time to See a Sleep Specialist

Many people live with poor sleep for years before realizing it is treatable. Consider scheduling a visit if you or someone close to you notices:

• Loud snoring, choking, or gasping during sleep
• Persistent daytime tiredness, even after a full night in bed
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights
• Falling asleep while driving, working, or watching TV
• Difficulty waking up in the morning, or routinely sleeping much longer on weekends to catch up
• Morning headaches, dry mouth, or sore throat
• Restless or twitching legs that interfere with sleep
• Sleepwalking, night terrors, teeth grinding, or other unusual nighttime behaviors
• A child who snores, breathes through the mouth, or struggles with bedtime and focus

Living at altitude in Northern New Mexico can also intensify sleep-related breathing problems, which is one reason a thorough evaluation matters here.

Why Treating Sleep Problems Matters

Untreated sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea, are linked to weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and sleep-related accidents. Chronic sleep deprivation has also been associated with depression, mood swings, memory problems, and difficulty concentrating. Treating the underlying sleep issue often improves these other health concerns at the same time.

What to Expect from Your Sleep Care Team

• Help for all types of sleep concerns, from insomnia and snoring to narcolepsy and parasomnias
• Personalized care focused on your needs, whether you are an adult or a child
• Board-certified sleep medicine physicians and registered sleep technologists guiding every step
• Coordination with your primary care provider, ENT, cardiologist, pulmonologist, or pediatrician when treatment crosses specialties
• Local care close to home, so you can avoid the drive to Albuquerque for a sleep evaluation
• Clear guidance and follow-through, so you always know what comes next

Meet the Medical Director

Your sleep care is overseen by Dureshahwar "Dure" Fernandez, MD, medical director of the Sleep Center. Dr. Fernandez is a board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary disease and sleep medicine, with more than 20 years of experience evaluating and treating sleep disorders. Her dual expertise in pulmonary and critical care medicine is especially valuable for patients with sleep apnea and other breathing-related sleep conditions, where airway and lung health are central to a complete diagnosis.

Dr. Fernandez trained at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and her Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. She sees patients in English, Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi, making expert sleep care accessible to families from across Northern New Mexico's diverse communities.

Sleep Conditions We Diagnose and Treat

Sleep problems take many forms. Your care team has experience treating the full range of sleep disorders for all ages, including:

• Obstructive and central sleep apnea, including airway-collapse breathing interruptions and loud snoring
• Insomnia, both short-term and chronic, often tied to stress, anxiety, depression, or restless legs
• Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder
• Narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, which can cause muscle weakness, brief paralysis on waking, and vivid dreaming while alert
• Circadian rhythm disorders, including shift-work sleep issues and travel-related disruption
• Parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, nightmares, night terrors, and teeth grinding
• Pediatric sleep apnea and other children's sleep concerns

Sleep Studies and Testing in Santa Fe

Sleep testing happens in a comfortable, private outpatient room designed to feel more like home than a hospital, complete with a flat-screen TV and WiFi. Most patients arrive in the evening, sleep through their study, and head home in the morning.

During an overnight study (polysomnography), trained sleep technologists monitor you in real time from a separate recording room. The study uses small sensors and electrodes to measure:

• Brain activity through EEG electrodes placed on the scalp
• Heart rhythm through EKG electrodes on the chest
• Breathing patterns through sensors on the nose, mouth, chest, and abdomen
• Oxygen levels, leg movement, and overall sleep quality

Available testing and treatment services include:

• In-lab polysomnography (overnight sleep study)
• Home sleep apnea testing for eligible patients
• CPAP titration studies and ongoing therapy support
• Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT) for daytime sleepiness evaluation
• Pediatric sleep studies in a child-friendly environment
• Treatment planning for CPAP, BiPAP, oral appliances, and behavioral therapy

Sleep Care for the Whole Family

Children with disrupted sleep often show it during the day through behavior, focus, and growth, not just at night. The same care team that helps adults also helps children with sleep problems, so the entire family can rest better. Parents stay close by during pediatric studies, and the environment is designed to feel safe and familiar.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends:

• About 10 hours of sleep for children ages 7 to 12
• 8 to 9.5 hours for teens
• 7 to 9 hours for adults

If you or a family member regularly fall short of these ranges, or feel unrested even after a full night, a sleep evaluation can help identify what is getting in the way.

AASM Accreditation: What It Means for You

CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Sleep Center was the first AASM-accredited sleep center in Northern New Mexico. Accreditation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine means the staff, equipment, testing protocols, and follow-up care all meet rigorous national standards for sleep medicine. For patients, that translates to accurate diagnoses, evidence-based treatment, and confidence that the results will hold up wherever your care continues.

Insurance, Costs, and Flexible Payment

Sleep evaluations are covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the major New Mexico commercial plans. Some plans require a primary care referral or prior authorization before a sleep study, and your care team can help walk you through that process. Financial counselors can review your benefits before your study and explain any expected costs upfront. Flexible payment options are available for patients without coverage or with high deductibles, so cost does not have to stand between you and a good night of sleep.

Serving Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico

Located on St. Michael's Drive in Santa Fe, the Sleep Center supports patients throughout the region, including Los Alamos, Española, Pojoaque, Eldorado, Taos, Las Vegas, and the surrounding pueblos and rural communities. Local access means shorter drives, faster appointments, and a care team that understands the realities of living and working in Northern New Mexico.

Take the Next Step for Your Sleep Health

You do not have to keep guessing about your sleep. You can schedule a visit yourself, or your physician can send a referral by phone, fax, or mail. Either way, your care team will help you find the right test or treatment so you can feel rested and ready for each day.