While assessment of the patients sleep disorder proceeds, is administering hypnotic medications an appropriate interim measure to promote good sleep hygiene and better sleep quality?
While assessment of the patient’s sleep disorder proceeds, it is appropriate to offer interim measures that may promote good sleep hygiene and better sleep quality. However, avoid administering hypnotic medications until an adequate assessment has been performed. • How are sleep onset problems and sleep maintenance problems differentiated? Sleep onset difficulties are often related to anxiety, changes in the phases of sleep, poor sleep hygiene, and restless-legs syndrome. Sleep maintenance problems, by contrast, are often associated with chronic alcohol or medication use, advanced sleep phase, depression, or a primary sleep disorder such as sleep apnea. • When may referral to a sleep specialist be indicated? Referral to a sleep specialist may be indicated when: obstructive sleep apnea is suspected; the patient has symptoms of restless legs syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder that interfere with falling asleep or that disrupt sleep maintenance, or limb jerking at night that is a
