If a sleep disorder is affecting your health, the good news is that there are multiple things you can do to improve your ability to get the rest you need. In addition to treatments such as CPAP therapy and dental sleep medicine, behavioral sleep medicine can help you get more rest without medications or treatment devices. Behavioral sleep medicine is particularly helpful to people who are experiencing insomnia. If your sleep medicine specialist has recommended behavioral therapy, here is a look at some questions you may have.
What exactly is behavioral sleep medicine?
Behavioral sleep medicine is the use of various behavioral modification therapies to improve sleep quality and duration. It is used instead of hypnotic sleep medications, or in conjunction with low-dose medications. For people who cannot tolerate hypnotic medications or prefer not to take them, behavioral sleep therapy can be an effective, safe treatment for many different types of sleep disturbances, including insomnia.
What therapies are used in behavioral sleep medicine?
A wide variety of therapies can be used alone or in conjunction with each other, including:
Progressive relaxation
Stimulus control
Sleep hygiene instruction
Sleep restriction
Systemic desensitization
Adjustments of sleep/wake schedules
Cognitive restructuring techniques, including imagery and assertions, may also be recommended. For some people, bright light therapy and psychotherapy are also helpful. For people whose weight and eating habits may be affecting their sleep, counseling for weight management is also helpful.
What sleeping disorders can be treated with behavioral sleep medicine?
People with insomnia can benefit greatly from behavioral sleep medicine, but they are not the only ones who can use it to improve their symptoms. People who are struggling to adjust to CPAP therapy for sleep apnea can benefit from behavioral sleep medicine, as can people with narcolepsy who are trying to gain more control over their sleep/wake cycles.
See a sleep medicine specialist in New Jersey to see if behavioral sleep medicine is right for you. For more information about all of our treatments for sleep disorders, call (848) 217-0240.
Getting diagnosed with sleep apnea used to mean a lifetime of sleeping in a CPAP mask. However, although CPAP treatment is effective, it isn’t a good fit for everyone. Some people end up trading sleep apnea for insomnia because CPAPs just don’t work for them. Now, there is a new solution—dental sleep medicine.
Dental sleep medicine uses oral appliance therapy instead of a CPAP for sleep apnea. The oral appliance, which is custom-made to ensure a comfortable fit, gently shifts the lower jaw forward. Doing this opens the airway so that breathing is not disrupted during sleep. Oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for people who cannot wear a CPAP mask or who simply want an alternative way to deal with their sleep apnea.
Could dental sleep medicine be right for you? Schedule a consultation at Sleep Dynamics to find out if you are a candidate for oral appliance therapy in New Jersey. Make your appointment by calling (848) 217-0240.
An overnight sleep study is often the first step in diagnosing a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea. Preparing for your study is easy and doesn’t require much beyond making sure you’re ready to get some rest.
Watch this video to learn more about preparing for an overnight sleep study. Arrive wearing comfortable clothing. Usually, a two-piece set of pajamas is best, to make it easier for the appropriate devices to be attached. Bring any medications you take with you.
Sleep Dynamics offers overnight sleep studies to diagnose a range of disorders to help patients get the appropriate treatments. For more information about sleep medicine in Central New Jersey, please call (848) 217-0240.
Few things are as important to your health as a good night’s sleep, but unfortunately, many myths about how to get the rest you need can stand in the way. Sleep medicine is dedicated to busting these myths to help people make smart decisions about their nighttime habits.
This video helps to separate some of the common myths about sleep from the facts, based on sleep medicine studies. For instance, your phone will keep you up at night, but contrary to popular belief, dimming your screen won’t help. The mental stimulation of using your phone, and not the blue light, is to blame.
If sleep is elusive for you, consider arranging an overnight sleep study at Sleep Dynamics to find out the cause. Contact our sleep medicine team in Central New Jersey by calling (848) 217-0240.
There are a number of diagnostic tools that sleep medicine specialists can use to evaluate patients. You may have already heard about overnight sleep studies, in which a technician monitors a patient in a lab setting while he or she sleeps. But you might be surprised to learn that some sleep disorder studies can be done while patients are awake. Here’s what you’ll need to know if your doctor has recommended a maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT).
What’s the purpose of the MWT?
With the MWT, the sleep medicine doctor can evaluate how well you’re able to stay alert and function normally during the day. Usually, a MWT is done when patients are diagnosed with disorders that affect daytime functioning, like sleep apnea and narcolepsy. It’s particularly important to perform an MWT if a patient might have a risk of daytime accidents because of sleepiness.
What do I need to do to prepare for the test?
Beforehand, the specialist will determine whether there are any factors that may affect the accuracy of the results. These can include the amount of sleep you got before the test. Caffeine, tobacco, and certain medications can also affect the results, and you may be asked to avoid these substances beforehand. Many patients are asked to have an overnight sleep study the night before the MWT.
What happens during the test?
On the day that you’re scheduled to have the MWT, you’ll actually have four tests. These are scheduled at two-hour intervals. Normally, the first test starts between 1.5 and three hours after waking up. The technician will place sensors on your skin. During each of the tests, you’ll need to remain in the bed, staying still and trying to stay awake without engaging in any activities. If you can stay awake, the test will end after 40 minutes. You’ll repeat it later that same day.
Here at Sleep Dynamics, we provide a full range of diagnostic services, including maintenance of wakefulness tests. Our skilled sleep medicine doctors and technicians will work one-on-one with you to develop an effective treatment plan that allows you to get the restorative sleep you need each night. Get in touch today at (848) 217-0240 if you think you might have a sleep disorder and you live in New Jersey.
CPAP therapy can be life-saving for people with sleep apnea, but getting used to wearing the mask can take some time. If you find that you simply cannot tolerate CPAP treatment, alternatives are available, including oral appliance therapy. If you are attempting to adjust to wearing a CPAP, these tips will help.
Try Wearing the Mask During the Day
Most people cannot bring their CPAP machine home, put on the mask, and sleep through the night on the first attempt. Try to adjust to your mask by wearing it during the daytime, such as when you are watching TV or reading a book. When that becomes comfortable, move towards wearing it during naps and for as long as you can during the night, gradually building up until you can wear the mask while you sleep for an entire night. Keep in mind that the less you wear your mask, the harder it will be to get used to it, so commit to steadily increasing the amount of time you keep it on.
Slowly Increase the Air Pressure
For many people, the forced air of a CPAP machine is the main source of discomfort as they adjust to treatment. If this is your complaint, ask your sleep specialist if your machine has a ramping feature. With ramping, your machine starts with low air pressure and gradually increases to the amount of pressure prescribed by your doctor. Ramping gives you the opportunity to adjust so your treatment becomes more comfortable.
Keep a Positive Attitude
It’s natural to feel frustrated when you find out you have sleep apnea and that you have to make a major life adjustment by wearing a CPAP mask when you sleep. Requiring a period of adjustment is normal, too. Focus on the fact that your CPAP treatment will make you feel better and protect you from the dangerous complications of sleep apnea, and you’ll find that your positive attitude makes adjusting to therapy easier.
At Sleep Dynamics, we are here to help you adjust to your treatment for sleep apnea, whether you require CPAP treatment or oral appliance therapy. Call us today at (848) 217-0240 to schedule a consultation or sleep study.
If you are suffering from sleep apnea, CPAP treatment may be recommended to help you breathe better when you lay down and break the destructive sleep-wake cycle that plagues apnea sufferers. However, CPAP treatment is not right for everyone, which is where dental sleep medicine enters the picture. Dental sleep medicine replaces CPAP therapy with oral appliance therapy for the same treatment results. If you have sleep apnea and are weighing your treatment options, here are the facts you need to know about dental sleep medicine.
What is dental sleep medicine?
Dental sleep medicine focuses on using a retainer-like device to treat sleep apnea. These devices, called oral appliances, help to move the lower jaw forward to open the airway for easy breathing during sleep. They are custom-fitted by dental sleep medicine experts for the highest level of patient comfort. For the right patient, dental sleep medicine can be an extremely effective alternative to CPAP treatment.
What are the benefits?
The benefit of dental sleep medicine and oral appliance therapy is restoring sleep without having to wear a cumbersome CPAP mask. Oral appliances are discreet, do not make noise during the night, and are more comfortable for many patients. When they are fitted properly, oral appliances are effective at helping people overcome sleep apnea and avoid complications like heart disease, obesity, and depression that are associated with it.
Who is a good candidate?
Good candidates for dental sleep medicine have mild to moderate sleep apnea and are either unable or unwilling to wear a CPAP mask to bed. Generally, people with severe sleep apnea get better treatment results with a CPAP. Your sleep medicine specialist will evaluate your symptoms to determine if oral appliance therapy could work for you.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea in New Jersey or think you could be suffering from it, call Sleep Dynamics for an appointment. We can diagnose your sleep disorder and determine the right treatment for you, from oral appliances to CPAP therapy. For more information, please call (848) 217-0240.
If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your specialist may recommend either CPAP treatment or oral appliance therapy to treat your condition. The right treatment for you depends on a number of different factors, from the severity of your symptoms to your personal preference. Ultimately, the device that you will use consistently is the right choice for you, as untreated sleep apnea can be dangerous. Read on to take a closer look at how these two treatment options compare.
CPAP Therapy
CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. The CPAP device consists of a small machine, similar to an air compressor, a hose, and mask that fits either over the nose or over both the nose and mouth. The air forces the airways that close with sleep apnea open so that sufferers can breathe freely as they sleep. Although CPAP therapy is effective, some patients are non-compliant with their treatment plans. The CPAP mask can be uncomfortable for some people, and the noise created by the machine can be disruptive. Other people struggle with the fact that they cannot talk while wearing it. For other patients, however, CPAP therapy is a comfortable and effective way of managing sleep apnea.
Oral Appliance Therapy
An oral appliance for sleep apnea looks like a mouth guard and works by pushing the jaw forward. Appliances are created by sleep dentists and custom-made to fit each patient. For patients who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy, oral appliance therapy can be a more comfortable solution, particularly for those with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Oral appliances don’t make noise and are easier to travel with than CPAP machines, since they can simply be stored in a small carrying case, similar to a retainer case.
If you have sleep apnea, let Sleep Dynamics help you find the right treatment option for you. We offer both CPAP treatment and oral appliance therapy to help patients get the sleep they need. To make an appointment, please call (848) 217-0240.
