What Happens at a Sleep Clinic?
- Dr. Oliver Bernath
- Jun 8, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 30, 2023
A sleep clinic is a specialised clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of a range of sleep disorders. A team of clinicians specialising in sleep medicine work here to care for patients.
Your care will be overseen by a consultant physician who specialises in sleep disorders. This doctor is typically a neurologist, pulmonologist, psychiatrist, or internal medicine physician with a sub-speciality in sleep medicine.
Your doctor will take a thorough medical history, examine you, and order any necessary tests.
Many large hospitals offer in-patient sleep labs for overnight sleep studies, known as polysomnography, but in-home sleep studies are also possible.
Depending on the results, the doctor may prescribe medication and alter your daily sleep routine. They may also recommend specialised treatment.
Do You Need a Referral to the Sleep Clinic?
An appropriate referral from either your GP or other healthcare provider is usually needed. Your appointment will be an outpatient one either in person or online.
Sometimes the sleep centre will send you a questionnaire to complete ahead of your appointment. Please have it with you.
Preparing for Your Appointment
To get the most out of an appointment and improve your sleep quality, it is vital to be well-prepared. You should ensure you are familiar with what will happen during your visit and take along any documents required.
Be sure to include all relevant information, such as medications you are taking, any relevant medical and psychological conditions, and the results of past sleep tests. This allows the treatment team to formulate a strategy tailored to your individual needs.
Take some time to write down all your symptoms and all the questions you may have for the sleep doctor. Go with optimism because great strides have been taken from a medical perspective. So, there is good potential for a very good encounter with your doctor which will have a positive impact on your sleep and overall wellbeing.
What to Expect at Your Appointment
During the appointment, you will be asked questions regarding your sleeping patterns and medical history. There will be assessment questionnaires that your doctor will take you through as well.
To assist with an accurate diagnosis, they may recommend some tests that involve wearing devices such as sensors under your nose and chest or abdominal straps that measure breath rate and heartbeat throughout the night either in the clinic's sleep lab or at home if possible.
Once all the data is collected from these assessments, it will be sent back to the doctor for review. Once all the test results are together, the doctor will discuss your diagnosis and your options with you and then develop a treatment and ongoing management plan.
Understanding Sleep Disorders
Sleep apnoea and insomnia are widespread, but they are only two of the range of sleep disorders that can disrupt your life.
Snoring, nightmares, restlessness, difficulty falling or staying asleep, restless legs syndrome, REM sleep behaviour disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness are all examples of common sleep problems.
Aside from these, people may suffer from delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD). This happens when individuals have trouble going to sleep at the usual hour of the night.
If left untreated, they may increase the risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
A sleep disorder specialist will diagnose, treat and manage these issues.
Symptoms and Impact
It is essential to identify and tackle sleep disorders before they cause serious physical or psychological issues such as depression, heart disease, or anxiety. Signs to look out for would include difficulty sleeping at night, not being able to stay asleep for long periods of time, excessive sleepiness during the day that affects your quality of life, and an inability to concentrate.
Bed partners may complain about your snoring, and you may find that you have a dry mouth when you wake up. These could warrant investigation into the possibility of you having sleep apnoea, which would be dangerous if untreated because it would affect your ability to drive safely.
Early diagnosis combined with good care at a sleep disorder centre or with a sleep doctor is crucial in minimising any damaging effects of a chronically disrupted sleep cycle.
How Many Sleep Disorders Are There?
Though this is a young field, we already know about a vast range of sleep disorders, at least 70 of them. The major ones include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, during which breathing is paused while asleep, and narcolepsy, which features extreme daytime sleepiness with unexpected "sleep attacks" during the day.
Other types include restless leg syndrome (RLS), REM sleep behaviour disorder (RSBD), and somnambulism, sleep-walking, circadian rhythm disorders, and central hypersomnias, such as, for example, narcolepsy.
Sleep Disorders Are Classified Into Two Categories
DIMS
Standing for "Disorders of Initiation and Maintenance of Sleep" - in other words, insomnias, this category relates to sleep disorders where people struggle falling and/or staying asleep. This is not the same as not getting enough sleep, but to the person, it feels that way.
DOES
Standing for "Disorders of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness" - this describes feeling continuously tired, for example, falling asleep when watching TV, or in meetings, etc. despite getting what should be enough sleep at night.
Not all of these sleep problems will require a consultation with a sleep expert - but some will. If DIMS or DOES persist, either in isolation or as part of another medical or mental health issue, then a consultation with a sleep disorders specialist may well be helpful.
Approaches to Treating Sleep Disorders
Diagnostic Assessments
This is always the beginning of the relationship with the patient and will include a full description of symptoms, medical history, and referral notes from your GP or other healthcare provider. The consultant will then order the tests related to your symptoms, which could include a home sleep apnea test, a multiple sleep latency test, and a series of blood tests.
Overnight sleep studies like polysomnography and oximetry that record your brain signals to give them a detailed and accurate analysis of your sleep cycle will be ordered if required. This can be done overnight at the hospital or at home.
Overnight Sleep Study
The tests are carried out either at home or in the hospital in a sleep lab. It also measures blood circulation and respiration. The patient wears sensors beneath the nose that measure the air passing between the nose and mouth. They wear a belt that measures their breathing efforts. These tests are better at detecting obstructive sleep apnoea because they measure episodes of stopped breathing as they happen.
Medication Management
The treatment of sleep disorders may include medication management. Several drugs are available and new ones are coming out that clinicians use to help improve the quality of your sleep. Visiting a sleep centre is essential before beginning any medications, as there can be risks associated with their use. A thorough history of sleep problems as well as your full medical history will be important since sleep problems can relate to other medical conditions. The full range of interactions will need to be assessed to rule out any negative possibilities.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Sleep-related breathing disorders that have been diagnosed as obstructive or central sleep apnoea respond well to CPAP treatment. This is a machine that blows air at a gentle pressure into a person's airway by way of wearing a mask and thereby keeps the airways open. A specialist sleep disorder technician will fit a CPAP device for you and show you how to use it.
CBT-i
People dealing with insomnia symptoms can sometimes turn to cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) when psychological factors are involved. This practical approach looks at changing negative thoughts and behaviours that interfere with getting enough rest. It has been demonstrated as an effective way of improving one's quality of sleep.
Patient Rights and Privacy at a Sleep Clinic
As a patient attending an appointment at the sleep clinic, you need to recognise your rights and safeguard your personal health information. Your data will be protected under the Data Protection Act 2018, guaranteeing that confidentiality and security measures are in place.
Protection of patients’ rights, as well as privacy, has not only become a professional responsibility for healthcare providers but also plays an essential role in strengthening trust between parties involved and creating a supportive treatment atmosphere. By being informed about your privileges concerning this matter, you can look out for yourself properly throughout your sleeping therapy journey while feeling respected and empowered during this experience too.
Summary
Taking charge of your condition and finding a sleep disorders centre of clinical excellence is essential for regaining control over your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a sleep clinic do?
It thoroughly evaluates issues surrounding sleep, such as sleep apnoea. During the assessment, the sleep disorders specialist will have in-depth discussions about insomnia, snoring, patterns of restlessness, and overall sleep quality. They also use monitoring devices like pulse oximeters (PO) and polysomnography to gauge the complete sleep pattern, breathing and pulse rate along with other metrics related to airflow while asleep during an overnight observation period.
Can my GP refer me to a sleep clinic?
Your GP can refer you, depending on the assessment they provide. Tests may be recommended. These could include overnight monitoring at the clinic or a home sleep study so that an accurate diagnosis is established in order for suitable treatment options to be determined. All of these would help diagnose what might be disrupting your sleep cycle and how it should be managed accordingly.
What do they do at a sleep clinic in the UK?
Sleep disorders experts review your sleep history and relevant symptoms to identify any underlying issues. Once they've diagnosed your condition, they could supply you with apparatus that tracks your heart rate and breathing during nocturnal hours. This is meant to help medical professionals gain knowledge and insight into potential sleep cycle problems.
What is a doctor who specialises in sleep disorders called?
A sleep doctor specialising in sleep medicine is called a somnologist. These doctors are an MD or MBBS or equivalent depending on your country of residence. It is a highly specialised field and is a sub-speciality of neurology. Many pulmonologists, that is, doctors who specialise in respiratory medicine are also somnologists.
How do I find a sleep specialist UK?
You should start with your GP and you must obtain a referral before seeing a sleep specialist or attending a sleep clinic. Many hospitals in the UK have NHS sleep disorders centres where a good sleep service is run. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, and Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Cambridge) are the three largest in the UK. For a list of available sleep clinics, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Sleep%20Medicine/LocationSearch/1888 .
There are various private sleep clinics and sleep doctors throughout London and the UK as well.
Can I get sleep therapy on NHS?
Yes you can. Your GP will provide you with your treatment options and a referral you to the appropriate sleep clinic or provider of CBTi for insomnia. You can search here for your local NHS sleep clinic: https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Sleep%20Medicine/LocationSearch/1888
What happens at an NHS sleep clinic?
A sleep doctor specialising in sleep disorders will diagnose your condition after conducting a thorough investigation including taking a full history, and necessary tests including, if needed an overnight sleep study either at the sleep clinic or at home. Then, a treatment plan will be developed with you and any medication will be prescribed. The plan will be adjusted and managed as required by the clinical team in partnership with your GP.
Can I go to a sleep clinic on the NHS?
Yes you can. Please go you your GP first because you will need a referral to an NHS sleep clinic depending on your specific condition. There are a range of sleep disorders and it is necessary that your GP specifies what he wishes the sleep specialist to do. For a list of available sleep clinics, please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other services/Sleep%20Medicine/LocationSearch/1888 .
When should you refer to a sleep clinic?
This depends on your condition but at the very basic, if you have been having trouble falling or staying asleep and this conditions continues repeatedly over three months or more so that your daily life is compromised, it is time to seek help. If you find yourself suddenly feeling extremely drowsy during the day despite getting enough sleep, you should see your GP.
Where can I get more information?
The National Helpline for sleep problems is a useful service for those struggling with sleep disorders: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/
The NHS provides a lot of information on sleep and also where to find your local sleep clinic: https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Sleep%20Medicine/LocationSearch/1888
Website: www.drbernath.com
email: oliver@drbernath.com