Bad Sleep? Consider Seeing a Sleep Medicine Specialist

Have you been feeling unusually tired during the day? Have you been struggling with falling asleep, snoring, or having breathing problems during sleep?  Have you been trialing different remedies but still unable to find the underlying cause or the right treatment? If you happen to be one of the unlucky people, there is good news for you. Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) Sleep Medicine Center is OPEN and welcomes anyone with sleep-related issues. Under the spotlight today is our BJU Sleep Medicine Specialist, Dr. Xuehua Wang, to tell us when you should consider seeing a Sleep Medicine Specialist.

Why is having a good sleep important? 

Sleep is an important part of our daily routine. Quality sleep is as essential to survival as food and water. Without enough sleep, you will find it's harder to concentrate, create memories, or respond quickly. Research finds that, besides maintaining brain functions and daily functioning, sleep plays a powerful role that removes toxins in our brain that build up while we are awake. 

An increasing number of studies show that sleep disorders, such as insomnia (a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up early) and sleep apnea (a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep) can cause systemic disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, depression and obesity. For children who can't get enough sleep, their growth and development can be affected. For people finding it difficult to lose excess body weight, poor sleep as a contributing factor should not be ignored. 

When should I see a Sleep Medicine Specialist? 

If you suffer from one of the following issues, you may benefit from seeing a Sleep Medicine Specialist: 

• sleep-related breathing disorders (e.g. apnea,  sleep-related hypoventilation)

• insomnia (e.g. difficulty falling asleep, waking up early)

• central disorders of hypersomnolence (e.g. narcolepsy,  idiopathic hypersomnia)

• circadian rhythm and sleep-wake disorders (e.g. delayed sleep-wake phase disorders, shift work disorders, and jet-lap disorders)

• parasomnias (e.g. sleep terrors, sleepwalking, sleep enuresis, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder)

• sleep-related movement disorders (e.g. restless leg syndrome)

• sleep-related medical and psychiatric disorders 

What is special about the BJU Sleep Medicine Center? 

The BJU Sleep Medicine Center brings together Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctors, Family Medicine physicians, orthodontists, neurologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, gynecologists, obstetricians, psychiatrists, and emergency (ER) physicians to help adults, children, and seniors with sleep issues. Through our integrated, multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment services, we aim to help you get your healthy life back. 

What services are available at the BJU Sleep Medicine Center? 

You may have tests performed to evaluate your sleep condition in the Sleep Medicine Center or in your home. Our BJU Sleep Medicine Center offers a number of tests, which specialists use to diagnose or treat specific conditions. These include: 

• polysomnography (PSG, which involves spending the night at the Sleep Medicine Center and monitoring your breathing, oxygen levels, snoring, position, and leg movements while you are asleep)

• portable sleep monitoring 

• dynamic sleep video and audio monitoring

• continuous oxygen saturation monitoring

• dynamic respiration, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, and end-expiratory carbon dioxide measurement

• multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT)

• maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT)

• suggested immobilization test (SIT)

• related medication efficacy evaluation

• automatic pressure titration, e.g. Auto-CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and Auto-BiPAP (bi-level positive airway pressure) titration

• manual pressure titration (manual-CPAP and manual-BiPAP titration) under PSG monitoring

• cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)

• long term CPAP therapy treatment 

To find out what your chance of having sleep apnea is, answer this quick screening questionnaire below:

To tell us what sleep-related topics you would like to learn, select one or more options below: 

Reference: 

Chung F, Yegneswaran B, Liao P, Chung SA, Vairavanathan S, Islam S, Khajehdehi A, Shapiro CM. STOP questionnaire: a tool to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea. Anesthesiology. 2008; 108(5):812

Dr. Zhonghui Lin is an experienced ENT expert and currently the Chair of ENT, and Section Chief of the Sleep Medicine Center. Besides his depth of expertise in ENT as a whole, Dr. Lin's main interests are sleep apnea, vocal cord, and pediatric ENT issues. He speaks English and Mandarin.

Dr. Xuehua Wang is a Sleep Medicine Specialist. She is an expert in all manner of sleep-related disorders, including insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, abnormal sleep behavior, sleep rhythm disorders in children and the elderly, menopause- and pregnancy-related sleep problems, narcolepsy, and drowsiness. She speaks English and Mandarin.

The Sleep Medicine Center is located on Level 4 in Building 3 at Beijing United Family Hospital. It offers a spacious room with a comfortable bed, a private bathroom, a television, and internet access. It is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. 

To make an appointment at Beijing United Family Hospital Sleep Medicine Center, please call the department reception at 010 5927 7039 during clinic hours or our 24hr Service Center at 4008 919191. 

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