Sleep Medicine
Some may think sleeping is as easy as…sleeping, but the truth is that there is a lot of science happening when you fall asleep. Competence in sleep medicine requires an understanding of a plethora of very diverse disorders. Training in sleep medicine is multidisciplinary, and the present structure was chosen to encourage a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis. Management in the varying situations differs greatly and cannot be undertaken without a correct diagnosis.
Sleep-wake disorders often have a serious, pervasive impact on health, productivity, quality of life and enjoyment of waking hours. The most rewarding aspect of sleep medicine is that for the vast majority of patients, arriving at a logical diagnosis and, more importantly, highly effective treatment can be life-changing.
Importance Of Good Sleep
Good quality sleep is essential to your good health! If you are having consistent, unexplained difficulty falling or staying asleep, are snoring heavily, or are just not waking up feeling rested, these are signs that it is time for a medical exam by a sleep doctor. Poor sleep quality has been associated with depression, weight gain, anxiety and other issues.
The most common reason is that you are not getting the quality or quantity of sleep you need to feel rested and energetic during the day. Proper sleep plays an important role in good health. Trouble sleeping can reduce the overall quality of life and a chronic lack of sleep may worsen the severity of certain medical conditions, including epilepsy, asthma, and heart disease.
FACTS About Sleep
- About 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep problem.
- Board-certified sleep medicine physicians have the training and expertise to diagnose and treat all sleep disorders.
- Adults who regularly sleep less than seven hours per night have a higher risk of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and depression.
- One of the disorders we see the most is sleep apnea – a dangerous condition characterized by complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep. Symptoms include habitual snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, trouble concentrating, memory or learning problems, and general moodiness, irritability or depression.
- Many people also don’t realize that they’re in greater danger of developing sleep apnea if they already suffer from other common diseases – such as Type 2 diabetes or hypertension.
- Left untreated, sleep apnea may have a serious impact on overall health, even increasing risk of death.