What is sleepy therapy/sleep medicine?
“Be sure to get a good night’s sleep.”
That’s common advice — from doctors, therapists, coaches, parents, and spouses. But while everyone agrees sleep is important, millions of Americans had difficulty getting adequate rest.
A variety of physical and mental ailments and stresses often get in way. And even in the absence of illness, many of us spend hours with our electronic devices, inviting alerts, notifications, and texts that disrupt our body’s natural rhythms.
Common sleep disorders and their prevalence
No wonder sleep disorders are increasingly common.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 50 million Americans have been diagnosed with at least one sleep disorder, and another 100 million people, across all age groups, report not getting enough sleep for their needs. Major disorders include:
- Chronic insomnia — difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for most nights over a three-month period, with related tiredness or irritability.
- Obstructive sleep apnea — chronic snoring and sleep disruptions as a result of moments at which you stop breathing.
- Restless legs syndrome — The urge to move your legs when trying to rest.
- Narcolepsy — An inability to regulate when you sleep or how long you can remain awake.
With the rising incidence of such disorders has come a growing need for sleep therapists.
What is the role of a sleep therapist?
A sleep specialist, or somnologist, is a specialized provider who usually has training in some other medical field as well, such as neurology, internal medicine, psychiatry, or ear, nose, and throat medicine.
“A sleep psychologist either treats or supports treatment for the full range of sleep disorders,” says Molly Atwood, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University, who adds that insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, one affecting about 10% of the population.
When such diagnoses are made, sleep specialists may work with the patient’s primary care physician and other specialists to develop a course of treatment for them. That process can be as complex as any in medicine and requires the power of a comprehensive Electronic Health Record (EHR) for documenting care and tracking patients’ progress.
But wrestling with an EHR can be time-consuming, even leading to sleeplessness for providers. Fortunately, the emergence of AI-powered medical scribes can help.
