| Neurologists | | | | with psychiatrists or physicians they know and trust, |
| If you have a sleep disorder like:o narcolepsy (falling | | | | who can evaluate your case and write the necessary |
| asleep suddenly and sometimes without warning | | | | prescriptions |
| during the day),o idiopathic hypersomnia (sleeping too | | | | In addition, sometimes when you visit a mental health |
| much),o restless leg syndrome (involuntary | | | | specialist you get more than you bargained for, and |
| movement of the limbs) or a sleep disorder | | | | find yourself being questioned about all sorts of other |
| associated with Parkinson's disease or Multiple | | | | mental "disorders" that you think have little or nothing |
| sclerosis, | | | | to do with your sleep problem. |
| Your PCP may refer you to a neurologist | | | | If you feel like your psychologist or psychiatrist is |
| experienced in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. | | | | getting off track, remind him that you really want to |
| These disorders originate with some sort of | | | | deal with your sleep problems now and will consider |
| abnormality within the brain or nervous system. | | | | discussing other issues after your sleep problems |
| Many of the early pioneers in sleep medicine were | | | | have been addressed. |
| neurologists who were interested in how the | | | | Don't forget that many mental problems like stress |
| reorganization of the nervous system during sleep | | | | of anxiety are tied directly to sleep disturbances. |
| made it vulnerable to dysfunction. Because | | | | Pulmonologists and internists |
| neurologists specialize in treating brain and nervous | | | | Your PCP may refer you to a pulmonologist or an |
| system disorders, they're uniquely qualified to treat | | | | internist if he suspects that you have a breathing |
| sleep disorders like narcolepsy. | | | | disorder such as sleep apnea that requires more |
| A neurologist experienced in the diagnosis and | | | | advanced management. These are doctors who |
| treatment of sleep disorders is a relatively rare bird. | | | | specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of lung |
| A little more than 900 of the slightly the 12,000 | | | | disease. |
| neurologist in practice in the US are listed with the | | | | You may wonder why in the heck a person who |
| American Academy of Sleep Medicine as sleep | | | | treats lungs would be interested in sleep disorders. |
| specialists. | | | | Well, sleep apnea involves a cessation of breathing |
| Psychologists and psychiatrists | | | | and that interests pulmonologists very much. |
| Understanding the relationship between sleep and | | | | Internal medicine specialists, also called internists (not |
| dreaming was within the Psychologists and | | | | to be confused with interns, who are doctors in |
| psychiatrists domain long before the field of sleep | | | | training), are concerned with diseases of the internal |
| medicine was born. | | | | organs in adults. Internists don't perform surgery, but |
| Experimental psychologists and psychiatrists now | | | | they manage patients' conditions through a |
| considered giants of the field of sleep medicine | | | | combination of medications dietary and lifestyle |
| paved the way for later clinical applications with early | | | | modifications. |
| sleep research they conducted in the 1950s, '60s and | | | | Pulmonologists and internists are particularly |
| '70s | | | | concerned with sleep apnea and the damaging |
| Today you still find some sleep medicine specialists | | | | effects it may see patients whose sleep disturbances |
| who initially trained as psychologists and psychiatrists | | | | are caused by an underlying condition including acid |
| and who have a background in behavioral medicine. | | | | reflux disease, gallbladder disease or any condition |
| This training helps them develop behavioral therapies | | | | that may cause pain and discomfort significant |
| to encourage their patients to comply with treatment | | | | enough to disturb sleep. |
| plans. | | | | Pulmologists likely see asthma patients whose |
| In addition to being fully qualified to interpret sleep | | | | breathing problems interfere with sleep much more |
| study results, they can also treat coexisting | | | | than most people realize. |
| emotional problems like stress, anxiety or mood | | | | Most pulmologists are primarily concerned with |
| instability that may be contributing to sleep | | | | breathing disorders that affect sleep, such as |
| disturbance. Also, such clinicians are especially well | | | | obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea |
| suited to treat various forms of insomnia. | | | | (CSA), and nocturnal asthma. Your PCP will refer you |
| Because they are not medical doctors, psychologists | | | | to a pulmonologist or internist if he or she suspects a |
| can't prescribe medications to help you sleep. | | | | serious, life-threatening condition like OSA. |
| However, psychologists maintain working relationships | | | | |