Screening & treating patients with sleep/wake disorders

Sleep/wake disorders are common, underdiagnosed, and associated with serious consequences. Patients tend not to mention sleep problems and clinicians often do not ask about them. Using a few simple screening questions and tools can uncover sleep/wake disorders that will respond to treatment. Consider asking about sleep during annual physicals and regular visits for chronic conditions. This is especially relevant when following patients with conditions linked to sleep/wake disorders. Educating patients about normal sleep and good sleep hygiene may improve sleep and prompt mention of unhealthy sleep/wake patterns.The use of CPAP leads to beneficial outcomes in OSA. Psychological and behavioral measures offer the best choice for patients with chronic insomnia. Bright light can help retrain the circadian rhythm in patients with circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Dopamine agonists are approved for treatment of RLS. Through a greater awareness of sleep/wake disorders and taking a proactive approach to patient questioning, diagnosis, education, and management, clinicians can better detect and treat sleep/wake disorders and improve patient outcomes and quality of life.