Looking for the best treatment

Many different sleep problems fall under the denominator ‘sleep and wake disorders’. Each patient needs his/her own approach. Most sleep patients come to Kempenhaeghe for a diagnosis. They receive a treatment advice. The referring doctor will then start the treatment.

For a limited amount of patients Kempenhaeghe will begin with the treatment. In a general sense, a number of types of treatment and counselling can be named. These are used in practice, separately or in combination.

Treatment methods sleep disorder

Medicines (or gradual reduction)

Many people with sleep problems take sleep medication. Sometimes they may even become addicted. When possible the Kempenhaeghe centre for sleep medicine chooses non-medicinal treatment and counselling. This applies in particular to people with sleep problems of a so-called psycho-physiological nature. This means that no physical cause can be found for the sleep problem. Treatment and counselling are mainly aimed at reduction of the medicine.

The sleep disorder may also be caused by a neurological or other physical problem. This is for instance the case with narcolepsy and the restless legs syndrome. Targeted medicines may help treat these disorders.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

If you suffer from sleep complaints with no apparent physical cause cognitive behavioural therapy may help. This form of counselling includes:

adjusting subjective - sometimes wrong - expectations and perception surrounding sleep.
counselling in learning different sleep behaviour and sleep habits. learn to relax, to turn off sleep-intrusive thoughts
information on sleep and a healthy regimen, so-called sleep-hygiene advice.
(if applicable) support in reducing sleep medication

The therapy is in principle short-term and depending on the patient is individual therapy or a group programme.

Psychological counselling

Some patients need extra help with learning different sleep behaviour. A psychologist teaches the patient techniques to have more influence on the sleep problem. The psychologist may also help with problems caused by the sleep problem. This may concern problems in the area of work, relationships, education etc. If there are suspicions that in addition to the sleep problems other factors may play a role, further psychological examination may be necessary. However, this does not happen very often.

CPAP equipment

If you suffer from a sleep-related respiratory disorder you may need respiratory support equipment, the so-called CPAP equipment. CPAP means Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. During sleep, air is administered with a continuous overpressure through a nose mask to keep your airways open. You will sleep every night with a CPAP machine. For this treatment to succeed information, good counselling and a lot of effort from the patient are essential. In the Kempenhaeghe centre for sleep medicine, nurses work who are specialised in counselling patients with sleep-dependent respiratory disorders (SAAS nurses). If necessary, they will help you in your home situation.

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Surgery

If you suffer from a sleep-dependent respiratory disorder it may be an option to undergo surgery to enlarge throat and nasal passages. If this is an option for you Kempenhaeghe will refer you to an orthodontist or ENT specialist.

Light therapy

If you suffer from a sleep disorder caused by a serious disruption of the biological clock light therapy may be the treatment of choice. By offering very strong artificial light without UV on a daily basis, it will be attempted to shift the moment of falling asleep and/or the moment of awaking.