Somnology (sleep medicine)

At Mediclinic, our sleep medicine service helps you find out why your sleep is broken and what to do about it. Our sleep laboratories run overnight sleep studies, and our respiratory and sleep specialists diagnose and treat conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea, snoring and other sleep disorders.

What is sleep medicine?

Sleep medicine looks at problems that affect how you sleep and how you feel the next day. It covers breathing problems in sleep, such as sleep apnoea and snoring, as well as insomnia and other sleep disorders. Because breathing often leads here, you usually reach the service through pulmonology. The specialist works with ear, nose and throat, neurology or psychology colleagues when a problem crosses into their field. For long-term conditions, they also guide ongoing treatment and follow-up.

When should you see a sleep specialist?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• Loud snoring, or gasping and choking noises while you sleep
• Feeling very sleepy during the day even after a full night in bed
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights
• An urge to move your legs at night that eases when you move
• Waking up with a headache, or waking and still feeling tired

Excessive daytime sleepiness can make driving unsafe. If you have sleep apnoea and significant daytime sleepiness, you should avoid driving until your symptoms are under control. If you're concerned about your level of sleepiness, speak to your doctor for advice and assessment.

It's also worth booking if a partner notices your breathing stops and starts at night, or if poor sleep is affecting your mood, work or relationships. Some people are more likely to have sleep apnoea, including those who carry extra weight or who have high blood pressure, so a check makes sense if that sounds like you.

What to expect

At your first visit, the specialist asks about your sleep, your energy during the day and anything a partner has noticed, like snoring or pauses in breathing. You might be asked to keep a sleep diary for a week or two or fill in a short questionnaire about daytime sleepiness. Many people then have a sleep study, which records your breathing, heart rate, oxygen and movements overnight, either at home or in a sleep laboratory.

Treatment depends on what the study shows. For sleep apnoea, that might mean a CPAP machine that keeps your airway open at night, a mouth device, or losing weight and changing your sleep habits. For insomnia, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is often the preferred treatment and can provide longer-lasting benefits than sleeping medication. Restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy require different approaches. Your specialist will explain the options and agree a treatment plan with you.

Sleep medicine at Mediclinic

We run sleep medicine services and sleep laboratories where you can have an overnight sleep study. Our respiratory and sleep teams diagnose and treat sleep-disordered breathing, from snoring to obstructive sleep apnoea, and they support you through treatment such as CPAP. You'll find sleep services at our hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and if your child has trouble sleeping, our paediatric sleep team in Dubai can help.