Helping You Achieve a Good Night’s Sleep

Getting a good night's sleep is crucial for your overall health and well-being. However, many people struggle with sleep issues that can significantly impact their daily lives. If you're experiencing persistent sleep difficulties, it might be time to seek professional help from a sleep specialist. Here's how to recognize when it's time to take that step and how a sleep medicine expert can assist.

When to Seek Professional Help for Sleep Issues

If you are suffering from any of these conditions or symptoms, please know that this doesn’t have to be your normal. You can seek help and find a restful nights sleep and a better quality of life. 

  1. Chronic Insomnia : If you have difficulty falling or staying asleep for more than three nights a week over an extended period, it may indicate chronic insomnia that requires expert evaluation.
  2. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Feeling overly tired during the day, despite getting a full night's sleep, could be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy.
  3. Loud Snoring and Breathing Issues: Persistent loud snoring, choking, or gasping for air during sleep could indicate obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that requires medical intervention.
  4. Unexplained Mood Changes: Poor sleep quality can lead to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, or depression, which may suggest an underlying sleep disorder.
  5. Difficulty Concentrating and Memory Problems: Sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function, making it hard to focus, retain information, and perform daily tasks efficiently.
  6. Unusual Sleep Behaviors: Sleepwalking, night terrors, or acting out dreams can be signs of sleep disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder that require professional attention.
  7. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): If you experience an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, especially at night, it could be a sign of RLS, which can disrupt your sleep.
  8. Frequent Waking During the Night: Waking up multiple times during the night and having trouble falling back asleep can signal an underlying sleep disorder that needs medical evaluation.

‍How a Sleep Medicine Expert Can Assist

If you seek medical care for your sleep issues, they will likely start with a comprehensive evaluation. A sleep specialist will conduct a thorough assessment, including sleep history, lifestyle factors, and possible medical conditions contributing to your sleep issues. From there, your doctor might suggest diagnostic testing to learn more about your sleep habits and quality of sleep. Tests such as overnight sleep studies (polysomnography) or home sleep apnea tests can help diagnose specific sleep disorders.

Once the data has been collected, a personalized treatment plan is put together. Treatment options may include lifestyle modifications, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), medication, or medical devices like CPAP for sleep apnea. Your doctor will continue to provide support and monitoring. A sleep specialist can provide long-term management, monitor progress, and adjust treatment plans as needed to ensure optimal sleep health.

If you or a loved one is recognizing some of these symptoms and wants to look into your sleep issues or quality of sleep, please reach out to Hina Kouser with Healthstar Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Kouser will get to know you and your concerns and work with you to improve your quality of sleep. She wants patients to experience a rich and full life.

The Healthstar Physicians network offers primary care and specialty services across East Tennessee. Our medical team is part of your community and because of that we are Near You, For You.

‍