When Do I Need to See a Sleep Specialist?

Oh yes, good question dear reader.

Sometimes we are unsure if our sleep issue rises to the level that a professional could be of help. A caveat: if you are in doubt, then the answer is likely yes. At minimum a professional can guide you to appropriate self-help resources. But read on for other ways to determine whether a visit to the sleep doctor is warranted. 

First, let me say if you have any symptoms other than sleep disturbance, such as restless legs, parasomnias like sleep walking or night terrors, falling asleep during the day without warning, or waking up gasping for air or being told you snore at night, then I strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a sleep medicine specialist. These specialists can help you clarify a diagnosis and give you treatment options that can vastly improve your quality of life (and even prevent death!). 

But if you’re just not sure if what you have rises to the level of insomnia, I’m here to help. First, check out my post for a more detailed examination of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for insomnia. The general criteria is that you have 3 or more nights per week of difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep for 30 minutes or more for at least 3 month’s time. And you either need to have impairment in your functioning or experience significant stress reactive to the insomnia.

But what if your sleep issue falls short of that, should you seek help? Well, maybe. Research has shown that even people with subthreshold insomnia (or, a sleep issue that doesn’t quite meet the criteria of insomnia) can benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. And what if you’ve only had difficulty with sleep for a few weeks, not the required 3 months. Well, consultation with a sleep therapist can help there as well. A sleep therapist can help you course correct your sleep disturbance before it rises to the level of insomnia and they can help rule out any co-occurring conditions that may be driving the sleep issue.

But, generally speaking if your sleep issue is causing you distress or it’s impairing your functioning in some way, then chances are consultation with a sleep therapist would help. This way you can quickly nip it in the bud and get back to living live!

If you want to learn more about if CBT-I is right for you at this time, contact me today to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.