| Sleep Disorders Clinic
 Sleep.
What is it?
Sleep is a necessary and naturally occurring rhythmic
state of mental and physical experience allowing recuperation of
the mind and body from mental and physical activities and exhaustion,
enabling us to re-engage in activities of life. Like thirst and
appetite, sleep is as much a mental, as it is a physical, experience.
This is why any disturbance in the health of mind or body can result
in a disturbance of sleep. It is indeed the study and evaluation
of sleep that can lead a physician to the mental or physical source
of the problem. For this reason, an entire field of sleep medicine
has been developed to address the evaluation and treatment of sleep
disorders.
Disorders of Sleep
An estimated 58% of adult Americans suffer from
sleep disorders. Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that
effect the physiology and architecture of sleep, resulting in disturbed
or untimely, uncontrollable or excessive sleep leading to medical
complications. Examples of these disorders include: narcolepsy,
which is a sudden and uncontrollable falling asleep, hypersomnia,
which is an excessive amount of sleep, or insomnia, which is chronic
poor or inadequate sleep, or lack of sleep. Many physical, emotional,
and psychological disorders can lead to sleep disorders. When the
sleep disorder is presented as a free standing condition it can
result in a series of complications, such as: excessive daytime
sleepiness, morning headaches, relationship problems (particularly
with ones bed partner), depression, anxiety, apathy, hypertension,
irritability at home and at the work place, difficulty to get along
with, poor work performance, accident proneness, habituation and
addiction to over- the- counter sleep aids, alcohol, or prescription
medications, and even motor vehicle accidents.
It is estimated that the direct and indirect cost
of sleep disorders, ranging from loss of productivity because of
the sleep disorder, purchase and use of over-the-counter sleep aids,
medical care and medications, and/or sleep-related accidents, is
in the billions of dollars.
Evaluation and Treatment of Sleep Disorders
Although the experience of sleep disorders and
their complications are universal, not all sleep disorders are caused
by the same underlying factors, nor are all people’s sleep
patterns and habits the same. For this reason, individual medical
attention is needed to evaluate the sleep disorder each person may
be experiencing and personalized treatment recommendations are needed
to address the problem. The special medical needs of patients with
sleep disorders have resulted in the development of the SLEEP DISORDERS
CLINIC at Okaloosa Mental Health and NeuroPsychiatric Center.
Evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders at
the Sleep Disorders Clinic begins with a neuropsychiatric consultation.
Based on this consultation, a personalized evaluation is arranged,
which may include laboratory and cognitive tests, a sleep study,
and consultations with other specialists to design a treatment plan.
Common treatment may include: medications, therapy, oral appliances,
breathing devices, relaxation and stress reduction training, recommendations
for life style changes, and referral for other medical or surgical
procedures and services, if necessary.
How to Request Services
Personal referral is accepted. We also accept referrals
from physicians and other professionals who might be involved in
management of the patients.
Appointments can be made by calling the clinic
at 850-683-8040 or email okaloosacenter@earthlink.net.
The Cost of Services
The cost of services at the Sleep Disorders Clinic
is based on a fee schedule for each service. We accept Medicare,
Medicaid, and major insurance plans with pre-authorization and after
deductible and co-payments are met. We also accept major credit
cards, personal checks, and cash.
If you would
like to take the Sleep Disorder
Self-Assessment, please click here.
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