Talking Sleep

Understanding the Value of Advanced Practice Providers

In this episode of Talking Sleep, we sit down with Loretta Colvin, APRN, to learn more about the role of advanced practice providers in the sleep medicine practice, how APPs collaborate with physicians to provide patient care, and how to incorporate these valuable team members into a practice to expand services and improve access to care.

Behavioral Interventions to Treat Insomnia

Cognitive behavioral therapy should be the first course of treatment in adults with chronic insomnia, according to a recently published AASM clinical practice guideline. This episode features Dr. Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist and co-author of the guideline, discussing the effectiveness of CBT-I, and why both physicians and patients should be aware that it’s an option. She also talks about the challenges of sleep during the pandemic, why melatonin isn’t the answer, and why consumer wearables may do more harm than good.

Sleep and Immunity

In this episode, we explore how sleep modulates the immune system, affecting our ability to ward off infections and develop antibodies. Our guest is Dr. Aric Prather, a clinical health psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, who has done extensive research on the relationship between sleep and immunity.

Telemedicine Opportunities and Challenges

Telemedicine is changing the way sleep medicine is taught and practiced. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Barry Fields, a sleep physician at the Atlanta VA Health System and member of the AASM Telemedicine Presidential Committee. He shares AASM telemedicine resources and offers guidance on how to make the most of telemedicine in the clinic and the classroom.