3 Questions to Ask Your Sleep Therapist

It may be recommended to see a sleep medicine professional if you:

– Snore or gasp for air during sleep
– Have a hard time falling asleep
– Experience difficulty staying asleep throughout the night
– Feel tired during the day, even when sleeping the night before
– Have difficulty performing daily activities due to fatigue

A sleep specialist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats sleep disorders and can come from a wide range of medical backgrounds, including dentistry, internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, or neurology. Sleep specialists are well-versed in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of different sleep disorders, including:

Insomnia — Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night is the main symptom of insomnia. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the world, affecting the lives of countless millions of people.
Narcolepsy — A condition that often causes people to suddenly fall asleep during the day, narcolepsy is in many ways opposite of insomnia, however similarities are still present.
Snoring — Everyone has heard snoring at some point, and although it is mostly harmless, it can cause disruptions of sleep in people closest to those who snore.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea — Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is characterized by pauses in breathing while sleeping. This can lead to disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue.
Restless Leg Syndrome — Restless leg syndrome, or RLS, is an uncontrollable urge or sensation to move one’s legs when trying to sleep. It often occurs when trying to get comfortable, and when arises, forces the person to readjust.

Sleep therapy is a type of talk therapy. A sleep therapist will look at everything, from exactly how you sleep to any other lifestyle, social or environmental factors. Together, the patient and therapist perform a root-cause analysis of any sleeping problems and develop a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s specific needs. If insomnia was triggered by traumatic life events such as loss of a loved one or stress at work or home, the therapist will help process the emotions surrounding those events and experiences. In addition to discussing previous experiences, sleep therapists also help patients build specific skills to improve sleep and reduce sleep anxiety. For chronic insomnia, therapy is better than pills.

In 2016, the American College of Physicians stated that sleep therapy is the best treatment for chronic insomnia, due to the large amount of evidence showing sleep therapy to be safer and more effective than sleeping pills. Sleeping pills may have side effects and some can cause people to develop a dependency. Anyone, not just those with clinical insomnia, can benefit from sleep therapy, as a good night’s sleep has a significant impact on mental health and overall wellness.

If you or someone you love is looking for a non-invasive, non-pharmacological solution for sleeping problems, come to Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders. We can help improve the quality of your sleep by getting to the root of the problem. Call us today to book an appointment. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from El Paso TX, Manhattan Heights TX, Colegio TX, Chavena TX and Las Fuentes TX.