Phone: 1800 717 566 Email: [email protected] Web: www.sleephealthcare.com.au
Local Sleep Experts and Physicians, Sleep Studies, CPAP Machines
and Accessories, Total Sleep Care Solutions
When might you need to see a sleep specialist and where do you find one?
Sleep is vitally important. Getting a good night’s sleep each night can lower your risk of developing obesity, diabetes, depression, and heart disease. If you think you’ve got a sleep disorder, there are many professionals that can help. Your GP should be able to refer you to a sleep specialist who’ll be able to provide you with diagnostic sleep studies appropriate for your situation. These professionals work closely with doctors to interpret the data collected from the tests.
When might you really need to see a sleep specialist?
You may ask your GP for a referral to a sleep professional if you’ve got a persistent sleep problem that’s not responding to advice from your GP about sleep hygiene and lifestyle management. Understanding the cause of your sleep problem is particularly important if you have an existing medical condition that might be affected by poor quality or disturbed sleep, such as diabetes or heart disease.
If you present to your GP with the following issues, it’s highly likely they’ll refer you to a sleep specialist
- Sleeplessness is an ongoing issue
- You’ve been on CPAP for awhile and haven’t been able to get relief.
- You experience frequent night terrors.
- You suspect you may have severe sleep apnea when others in your household report being disturbed by your snoring.
What can I expect from an appointment with a sleep specialist?
A sleep professional diagnoses and monitors sleep disorders. It’s likely they’ll undertake a sleep study to determine where your sleep issues lie and what may be causing them. Sleep studies are sensitive tests that provide sleep specialists with objective observational data that can evaluate your sleep behaviour. In some cases additional testing may be required but your specialist will guide you on this.
Treatments a sleep specialist may recommend
If your sleep specialist runs tests and determines you have a sleep disorder they’ll work with you and your GP on a treatment plan. It’s common to trial least invasive options first as common sleep disorders can be treated with a variety of medical and non-medical options.
For example, treatment options could include working with a counselor or behavioral health specialist, short term medication use or the recommendation of using a CPAP machine each night. Your practitioner is trained and experienced in sleep-related issues and so will have a range of treatment options to draw upon.
Where can I find a sleep specialist?
You can find one close to where you live by doing an online search or seeking the recommendation of friends or family. You can even get in touch with a sleep scientist directly through our website. Quite likley though your referrring GP will have details of a sleep specialist they’ve successfully referred other patients to and will be able to recommend someone who’s able to help you improve your sleep.
For further information and support in finding the right sleep specialist to meet your needs, our friendly staff are always happy to help and can be reached on 1800 717 566.
