Insomnia & Sleep Disorders Treatment

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes a lack of sleep, disrupting your life. If left untreated, it negatively affects your physical and mental health. It leads to dangerous health conditions and an increased risk of accidents. Find out why you can't sleep. Call to make an appointment today.

What Are Sleep Disorders?

Sleep disorders are any number of medical conditions that impair one's capacity to sleep well on a regular basis. Most people have periodic problems with sleep as a result of stress or other outside factors. However, when these problems become persistent and interfere with everyday life, they may indicate a sleep disorder. According to Sleep Foundation, 50 to 70 million people in the U.S. suffer from conditions that affect sleep quality, timing, or duration.

There are around 80 distinct types of sleep disorders, with some of the most common ones including:

• Insomnia
• Sleep apnea
• Restless legs syndrome
• Narcolepsy

While it may seem harmless, insufficient sleep can do a number on your health in unexpected ways, affecting your school or work performance, interpersonal relationships, health, and safety. That is why it’s essential to contact an experienced sleep doctor in NYC and get proper sleep hygiene education.

When it comes to finding the best treatment for insomnia, working with an AAAP board-certified mental health expert with advanced training in comprehensive sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment is essential. Dr. Ivanov is an adult psychiatrist specializing in treating patients with sleep dysfunction using behavioral therapies, pharmacologic agents, and lifestyle changes.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a medical condition that causes you to have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It’s either a short-term, acute situation or a long-term, chronic condition. About 25 percent of Americans experience acute insomnia each year, but even this short-term ailment disrupts your life.

Some of the causes of insomnia are:

• Stress
• Poor sleep habits
• Sleep apnea
• Poor eating habits, such as overeating before sleep or drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages before bed
• Restless leg syndrome
• A heavy travel or work schedule
• Medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, arthritis, back pain, hyperthyroidism or sinus allergies
• Psychiatric conditions, such as depression and anxiety disorders

Good sleep supports good health and well-being throughout your life. Being well-rested fosters alertness throughout the day.

Insomnia doctors recommend seven to eight hours of sleep per night for adults and even more hours for children. But getting enough sleep is a problem for a large number of people. One of the most common sleep disorders today is insomnia.

What Are the Risks Associated with Insomnia?

Sleep is a basic human need, just like eating and breathing. You need a proper amount of sleep for your body and mind to perform optimally. Not getting enough sleep can, over time, lead to deadly consequences.

Medical research links sleep deprivation to an increased risk of:

• Kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Even obesity

Lack of enough sleep affects your mental well-being, while also impacting your daytime performance and safety. Insomnia also has a negative economic impact. A recent study shows that this sleeping disorder causes $63 billion in lost work performance yearly.

Sleep Specialist Near Me: Say Goodbye to Sleepless Nights with Online Psychiatrists

Are you looking for effective ways to address trouble falling or staying asleep? Choose an top-rated psychiatrist with advanced training in comprehensive sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment using psychological and behavioral interventions as well as proven pharmacologic agents.

How To Find a Insomnia Treatment Near You

Consider using the following guidelines for finding a medical professional in your area:

• Ask your friends or relatives for recommendations.
• Search online using phrases like "sleep specialist near me," "sleep doctor near me," or "insomnia treatment near me."
• Check online reviews of nearby specialized therapists.
• Discuss your treatment options with a couple of mental health professionals by scheduling an appointment.

The team at Online Psychiatrists is dedicated to helping you achieve healthy sleep patterns and regain your energy. Our sleep specialists offer insomnia treatment through relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, stimulus control therapy, sleep restriction therapy, sleep hygiene, and other approaches that yield reliable, robust, and long-term benefits.

Dr. Zlatin Ivanov is a nationally recognized mental health expert who provides a holistic approach to the treatment of sleep disruptions and is looking forward to addressing your specific problem.

Who Is at Risk for Developing Insomnia?

Most people recover from this sleeping disorder before it develops into a chronic problem. And not everyone is affected in the same ways, whether for acute or chronic insomnia. But some people are more susceptible to suffering from insomnia.

The risk factors for the condition include:

• Age, as the older you get, the more likely you’ll have insomnia
• Gender, as women are at more risk due to hormonal shifts during menstrual cycles and menopause 
• Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease
• Medications such as steroids, diet pills, decongestants and asthma treatment
• Lifestyle behaviors, such as a lack of exercise, poor nutrition and a lot of screen time

Still, there are steps you can take to avoid insomnia or, if you already have it, to get it treated. If you have problems falling asleep or staying asleep at night, contact a trained psychiatrist at Online Psychiatrists for diagnosis and treatment.

How Is Insomnia Diagnosed?

When you seek a diagnosis, your sleep specialist in NYC takes a medical history first. If you’ve kept a journal of your sleep patterns, that helps your mental health doctor learn how long your lack of sleep has been a problem.

To reach an accurate diagnosis, you may need to undergo a series of comprehensive diagnostic tests, including:

• A physical exam
• Your sleep history, even if it’s not in a journal
• A sleep test, performed overnight at a sleep center or lab, where you’re connected to electrodes that measure your heart rate, movement, brain waves and eye patterns

Your sleep specialist will carry out these tests to find if you have an underlying physical cause. If you do, it can be treated. An accurate diagnosis points your doctor to the best treatment for insomnia in your case.

What Are the Types of Chronic Insomnia Treatment in NYC?

Sleep deficiency debilitates your life and inhibits your capacity to perform at your highest level. Psychiatrists use modern methods for more effective sleep disorder treatment. Dr. Zlatin Ivanov recommends different treatment options depending on your individual diagnosis.

Treatment options available include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Insomnia

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an evidence-based psychotherapy built on several core principles, including:

• Sleep consolidation which entails restricting the amount of time spent in bed to meet the amount of sleep obtained, helping you stay awake longer, building up a better sleep drive, and falling asleep more easily.

• Stimulus control which involves avoiding stimulating activities before sleeping and solely using the bed for sleep and intimacy.

• Cognitive restructuring which entails replacing challenging and unhelpful thoughts with more positive and realistic ones, reducing anxiety and worry.

• Sleep hygiene which involves establishing a pleasant sleep environment, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, minimizing coffee and alcohol intake, and practicing relaxation techniques before bed.

According to a PubMed article, CBT-I is the most effective nonpharmacological treatment for chronic insomnia. A 2015 meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials of CBT-I for chronic insomnia patients reported an increase in sleep efficiency by nearly 10% and an increase in total sleep time by 8 minutes, with an average decrease in sleep latency of 19 minutes and a decrease in time awake following sleeping of 26 minutes.

Adderall for Insomnia

Adderall is a prescription amphetamine that boosts energy in healthy people, but it can have a soothing impact on those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If you use Adderall to treat ADHD, you may be shocked at how it might influence your sleep.

While it might make you feel relaxed and drowsy and for some people it may work as a sleep medication, it can also boost your energy and reduce your need for sleep, resulting in sleep deprivation. Some people may raise their dose to stay awake during the day, creating a difficult cycle to break. When Adderall abuse begins to interfere with your everyday life, it may soon become an addiction.

Sleep Medication for Insomnia

Even though cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle modifications are frequently the primary courses of treatment for insomnia, medication may still be required in certain cases.

• Sedative hypnotics are a class of medications that work by promoting relaxation and inducing sleep. They are typically prescribed for short-term use and include benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists. These medications act on the brain's neurotransmitters to enhance sleep onset and maintenance.

• Melatonin receptor agonists are a class of medications that mimic the effects of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. They can help regulate sleep patterns and are often prescribed for individuals who have difficulty falling asleep.

• Orexin receptor antagonists are a newer family of drugs that function by suppressing orexin, a neurotransmitter that encourages wakefulness.

• Certain antidepressant medications, particularly those from the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) classes, can also be prescribed off-label to treat insomnia. These medications may help regulate sleep patterns by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain.

Adopting healthy sleep habits along with getting behavioral therapy are the most efficient and secure ways to manage insomnia. However, if you believe you could benefit from medicine, consult your sleep doctor about the best course of action.

Talk Therapy for Insomnia

Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, is an effective non-pharmacological approach to treating insomnia. It involves working with a trained therapist who helps individuals address the underlying causes and psychological factors contributing to their sleep difficulties.

Some commonly used types of talk therapy for insomnia, besides previously mentioned CBT-I, include:

• Psychodynamic therapy focuses on unconscious processes and how it affects your behavior. The emphasis is on identifying underlying problems, such as unresolved conflicts from the past, that may be causing insomnia. This kind of treatment can assist those receiving it in developing solid methods for coping as well as insight and awareness of what is happening to them.

• Humanistic therapy is focused on your personal growth and self-discovery. It involves you working with the therapist to examine your thoughts and feelings while learning how they may impact your ability to sleep.

• Holistic therapy is a traditional psychotherapy blended with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques such as yoga, meditation, and herbal medications. A holistic approach can help by promoting better sleep, relaxation, and stress management.

Talk therapy for insomnia can provide long-term benefits by addressing the root causes of sleep difficulties and promoting healthy sleep habits. It is often used as a standalone treatment or in combination with other approaches to achieve optimal outcomes.

Home Remedies for Insomnia

Some home remedies that can help you sleep better include:

• OTC medications, minerals, and natural oils, like melatonin and diphenhydramine, magnesium, and lavender oil

• Foods and drinks, including pistachios, turkey, and chamomile tea. While many people use alcohol as a sleep aid, it actually negatively affects sleep quality.

• Stress alleviation techniques, such as exercise, massage therapy, and yoga

You can also try incorporating some sleep-hygiene tips and try meditation or mantra repetition to manage your symptoms. However, if your insomnia persists and does not improve, see a medical professional to discuss other options.

If you’ve noticed a problem with your sleep patterns, do not self-medicate. Instead, contact Online Psychiatrists for a holistic approach to anxiety and insomnia treatment. This helps Dr. Ivanov achieve higher success rates. Get in touch today for an appointment.