Sleep medicine

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Sleep Medicine

Sleep medicine (pronunciation: /sliːp ˈmɛdɪsɪn/) is a medical specialty or subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disturbances and disorders.

Etymology

The term "sleep medicine" is derived from the English words "sleep", which originates from the Old English word "slæp", and "medicine", which comes from the Latin word "medicina", meaning "the healing art".

Overview

From the middle of the 20th century, research has provided increasing knowledge and answered many questions about sleep-wake functioning. The rapidly evolving field has become a recognized medical subspecialty in some countries. Dental sleep medicine also qualifies for board certification in some countries. Properly organized, minimum 12-month, postgraduate training programs are still being defined in the United States. In some countries, the sleep researchers and the physicians who treat patients may be the same people.

Disorders and disturbances

The sleep disorders and disturbances of sleep medicine are organized into six main categories: insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, narcolepsy, and parasomnias.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of sleep disorders generally involves careful history taking, clinical examination, a sleep diary, and the polysomnography test.

Treatment

Treatment of sleep disturbances and disorders primarily treats the underlying cause of the disorder, which may include lifestyle changes, medication, continuous positive airway pressure therapy, and/or surgery.

Related terms

External links

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