Talking Sleep

RLS Clinical Practice Guideline Update

In this episode of Talking Sleep, Drs. John Winkelman and Andy Berkowski discuss the updated AASM clinical practice guideline for the treatment of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder.

Should PAP be a Tool for the Obstetrician?

There was a recent consensus statement from the Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine and the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in pregnancy. For too many, a sleep evaluation is deferred until the pregnancy is over, with the idea that pregnancy-related sleep disorders will resolve at the end of the pregnancy. This leaves so many with sleep disorders undiagnosed and untreated. Dr. Louise O’Brien has tried to bridge this gap. She works in the Division of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Neurology, as well as the Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan. She is here to share her experience locally, but also globally when it comes to sleep health during pregnancy.

A new era of AASM accreditation

The AASM is introducing a new service-based accreditation model and updated Standards for Accreditation, which will take effect in January 2025. Based on feedback from members and accredited programs, this accreditation model provides greater flexibility to accommodate all practice types, making it easier to manage, add, and remove accredited services. Changes to the Standards for Accreditation were also made to remove barriers and promote administrative and operational efficiencies in sleep practice management. In this episode, AASM Accreditation Committee Chair Dr. Fady Jamous and AASM Director of Accreditation Ray Anthonijsz help explain some upcoming changes to AASM accreditation programs.

Behavioral therapy for sleep disorders: CBT-I and beyond

Dr. Richard Blackburn is a sleep psychologist who is attempting to improve access to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and other behavioral therapies for sleep disorders. He has a psychologist training program as well as a telemedicine practice, and he hopes to increase the availability of sleep behavioral therapy by increasing the pipeline and expanding access via telemedicine. He explains his model and discusses other behavioral interventions to consider for patients with sleep disorders.