Sleepless nights can take a significant toll on both your mental and physical well-being. If you’re consistently finding it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, consulting a Sleep Medicine Doctor at Advocate Health Care’s Sleep Centers in Chicagoland can provide the expert help you need.
Persistent lack of sleep can lead to irritability, difficulty concentrating, and even depression. Moreover, long-term sleep deprivation may be indicative of underlying health issues or elevate your risk of serious conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.
The specialized team of sleep medicine doctors at Advocate Sleep Centers possesses the knowledge and advanced technology necessary to accurately identify the root cause of your sleep problems. They are dedicated to offering tailored care plans that can transform your restless nights into truly restorative sleep.
If you’re seeking answers and solutions for your sleep concerns, contact us today to schedule a consultation with a sleep medicine doctor.
Types of Sleep Disorders Treated by Sleep Medicine Doctors
Advocate Health Care’s Sleep Centers utilize cutting-edge sleep studies and comprehensive testing methodologies to thoroughly investigate the reasons behind your sleepless nights. Our team of experienced sleep medicine doctors offers treatment for a wide spectrum of sleep disorders, including:
- Delayed sleep phase syndrome
- Insomnia: Characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, despite adequate opportunity for sleep.
- Narcolepsy: A neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.
- REM sleep behavior disorders
- Restless leg syndrome
- Shift work sleep disorder
- Sleep apnea: A potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
- Sleep deprivation
- Sleep paralysis
What to Expect When You Consult a Sleep Medicine Specialist
Visiting a sleep medicine specialist is a proactive step towards effectively managing and overcoming sleep disorders. Your sleep medicine doctor will begin with a comprehensive evaluation, gathering a detailed account of your medical history. This includes information about any pre-existing and current medical conditions, medications you are taking, and any family history of sleep disorders.
You will be asked in-depth questions about your sleep patterns, daily habits, and typical bedtime routine. This encompasses details such as your usual bedtime and wake times, the duration and perceived quality of your sleep, and any disturbances you may experience during sleep, such as snoring, breathing irregularities, or restless legs. To gain a clearer picture of your sleep habits, your sleep medicine doctor might request you to maintain a sleep diary for one to two weeks. In this diary, you would record your sleep and wake times, any naps taken, and factors that might be disrupting your sleep schedule.
State-of-the-Art Sleep Testing and Diagnosis
For a more thorough evaluation, your sleep medicine specialist may recommend that you undergo a sleep study, also known as polysomnography. This test requires an overnight stay at one of our comfortable sleep centers, where sophisticated equipment will monitor various physiological activities while you sleep. These measurements include brain wave activity, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rate, and breathing patterns. These detailed insights are crucial for the sleep medicine doctor to accurately diagnose your sleep condition.
In certain situations, a home sleep apnea test might be appropriate. This involves using portable monitoring devices in the comfort of your own home to assess your breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate during sleep. The results are then analyzed by your sleep medicine doctor to determine the presence and severity of sleep apnea.
How a Sleep Medicine Doctor Addresses Sleep Problems
Based on the comprehensive information gathered from your medical history, sleep diary, and any sleep study results, your sleep medicine doctor will provide a precise diagnosis of any sleep disorders you may have. They will then develop a personalized treatment plan specifically tailored to your unique needs and circumstances. This plan may incorporate a combination of approaches, including lifestyle adjustments, behavioral therapies, medication management, or the use of medical devices. For instance, if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your sleep medicine doctor might prescribe a CPAP machine.
Lifestyle Modifications for Better Sleep
Often, the initial step in improving sleep involves making key lifestyle changes to establish healthy sleep habits. These modifications can include adhering to a consistent sleep schedule, optimizing your bedroom environment to be conducive to sleep (dark, quiet, and cool), and avoiding stimulants like caffeine and electronic device use close to bedtime. Your sleep medicine doctor can provide detailed guidance on these adjustments.
Common Medical Treatments Prescribed by Sleep Doctors
- Prescription Sleep Medications: For more severe sleep disorders, particularly acute insomnia, your sleep medicine doctor might recommend prescription sleep aids. Medications such as zolpidem (Ambien) or eszopiclone (Lunesta) can be prescribed for short-term use to help you overcome severe insomnia and re-establish healthy sleep patterns.
- Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids: Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) are available over the counter and can provide temporary relief from sleeplessness. However, sleep medicine doctors generally do not recommend them for long-term use due to potential side effects and decreased effectiveness over time.
- Melatonin Supplements: Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Sleep medicine doctors may suggest melatonin supplements to help promote healthy sleep patterns, especially in situations like jet lag or shift work sleep disorder where the natural sleep-wake cycle is disrupted.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy: CPAP machines are a standard and highly effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Prescribed and managed by a sleep medicine doctor, these devices deliver a continuous stream of air pressure to keep the airway open during sleep, preventing pauses in breathing.
- Relaxation Techniques: Practices such as meditation, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises can be valuable complements to other treatments. Your sleep medicine doctor may recommend incorporating these relaxation techniques to help reduce stress and anxiety, thereby promoting better sleep quality.
What You Can Expect at Advocate Sleep Centers
When you choose Advocate Sleep Centers for your sleep care, you can anticipate:
- A Multidisciplinary Team Approach: Our board-certified sleep medicine specialists collaborate closely with your primary care physician and other healthcare professionals to ensure you receive the most comprehensive and coordinated treatment possible.
- Personalized Treatment Strategies: We understand that each patient’s sleep challenges are unique. Therefore, we tailor your treatment plan to your specific needs and sleep disorder. Our recommendations can range from simple adjustments to your diet or sleep schedule to advanced therapies for conditions like sleep apnea.
- Convenient Access Across Chicagoland: With multiple clinic locations throughout the Chicago area, accessing expert sleep care is convenient. See our locations to find an Advocate Sleep Center near you. We also provide specialized pediatric sleep services for children and adolescents with sleep disorders.
Seeking help from a sleep medicine doctor is a crucial step towards reclaiming restful nights and improving your overall health and quality of life. Don’t let sleeplessness control your life; contact Advocate Sleep Centers today.
