{"id":19667,"date":"2022-05-30T12:59:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T17:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19667"},"modified":"2023-03-06T19:49:38","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T00:49:38","slug":"what-on-earth-is-a-sleep-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/what-on-earth-is-a-sleep-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"What on Earth is a &#8216;Sleep Doctor&#8217;?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve ever had trouble sleeping, like one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/sleep\/about_us.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">70 million Americans that suffer from chronic sleep problems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you might not have been sure where to turn. Enter, the enigmatic \u201csleep doctor. A \u201csleep doctor\u201d is a fairly ambiguous umbrella term for a number of experts \u2014 from a variety of healthcare fields \u2014 trained to investigate peoples\u2019 sleep problems and help them get better rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSleep is that third post you need for good health, in addition to good nutrition and exercise,\u201d says Dr. Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg, a sleep specialist based in Fort Myers, Florida. \u201cRecently there\u2019s been a resurgence of interest in sleep, and the workforce for sleep medicine is definitely growing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Americans say they try to prioritize sleep, per <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/aasm.org\/sleep-survey-binge-watching-results\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) survey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they aren\u2019t that actually great at.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cUnfortunately, most of us over time have developed poor sleep habits and skills,\u201d\u00a0 Abbasi-Feinberg says. \u201cWe want people to sleep well so they can live well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re having sleep troubles, your first path of action should be heading to a sleep doctor. But what is a sleep doctor? And what exactly can they treat? We break it down below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What types of doctors specialize in sleep and what are their credentials?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few decades ago, neurologists were the main types of doctors that specialized in sleep, says Dr. Aarti Grover, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at Tufts Medical Center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But over the years, as researchers have discovered more about how complex sleep is and how it impacts many bodily systems \u2014 from the nervous system to the endocrine system, and cardiovascular system \u2014 many types of doctors now specialize in treating sleep issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctors train in their area of expertise, and then get certified as a sleep specialist. Neurologists, pulmonologists, psychiatrists, ear nose and throat doctors, and even cardiologists, can each do this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep doctors then have to get re-certified every 10 years by re-taking the board certification exam. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditionally, doctors <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepassociation.org\/health-professionals\/sleep-doctor\/\">certified in sleep medicine<\/a> do an additional year of training specifically in sleep training after medical school and their medical residency, Abbasi-Feinberg says. Most still do it that way. But the AASM is also currently testing a pilot program where doctors can combine their sleep medicine training with their specialty training.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, sleep training includes learning interview skills, understanding the different stages of sleep, and learning how to read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/sleep-studies-explained\/\">sleep studies<\/a>, whether they\u2019re at home or in the lab.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>When should you see a sleep specialist?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve been especially tired or you regularly aren\u2019t sleeping well and your primary care doctor can\u2019t figure out why, then you might want to see a sleep doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grover says some of the most common reasons for someone to seek out a sleep doctor include snoring, feeling fatigued during the day, and not being able to concentrate. Other people might be gasping for air while they\u2019re sleeping or have persistent issues falling and staying asleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who see a sleep doctor are typically referred by their primary care physician or their cardiologist, Abbasi-Feinberg says. But they don\u2019t necessarily need a referral if their insurance plan doesn\u2019t require one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might see a sleep psychiatrist, if you have insomnia or racing thoughts that keep you up at night, or a pulmonologist, if your doctor suspects you have sleep apnea, which is when you\u2019re not getting enough oxygen as you sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What is it like to work with a sleep doctor?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A visit with a sleep doctor often starts with an interview asking you about your sleep patterns and issues. To evaluate whether you might have a sleep disorder, the doctor could ask you to do a home or in-lab sleep study to evaluate your quality of sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common sleep disorders include sleep apnea, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/a-former-insomniacs-guide-to-getting-sleep\/\">insomnia<\/a> and narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness). The doctor\u2019s goal will be to design a plan to improve your sleep. Sleep doctors often consult with a team of sleep technologists, who can administer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/sleep-studies-explained\/\">sleep studies<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/coronasomnia-is-wrecking-our-sleep\/\">sleep psychologists<\/a>. They also might work with respiratory therapists, dentists who can fit people for appliances to treat breathing issues, and sleep surgeons \u2014 who can address structural issues in the body that might be getting in the way of good sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTypically it\u2019s a long-term relationship,\u201d Abbasi-Feinberg says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on your specific situation, a sleep doctor might prescribe medications, a medical device like a mouth guard or CPAP machine (a machine that helps keep your upper airway passages open as you sleep) for sleep apnea, or refer you to a cognitive behavioral therapist or a physical therapist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People tend to wait out sleep issues, adds Abbasi-Feinberg, thinking they\u2019ll just get better on their own. But, \u201cit\u2019s always okay to ask for help,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Where do I find a sleep doctor?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many sleep doctors work out of sleep centers or sleep clinics. These are often run by major medical centers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But sleep doctors also work in private practice and in group practices across the country. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the U.S., there are more than 2,600 AASM-accredited sleep centers in the U.S.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and patients can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sleepeducation.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">check if a provider is board certified on their website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not unusual for sleep doctors to be booked out for months, Abbasi-Feinberg says. Some specialists though will find ways to get people in sooner if sleep issues are significantly interfering with their day-to-day lives. For example, if the person is a bus driver and they\u2019re getting drowsy during the day, they might try to get them in sooner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Ready to book a doctor\u2019s appointment? Visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\"><span class=\"s2\">Zocdoc.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>And why should you go to one?  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":19668,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[41,81,56,106],"class_list":["post-19667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-mental-health","tag-preventive-care","tag-primary-care","tag-treatment","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What on Earth is a &#039;Sleep Doctor&#039;? 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