At Auckland Sleep, we take a comprehensive approach to sleep health. Our unique model consists of a multi-Disciplinary team all available under one roof. Working together, we create a tailored treatment plan for your individual circumstances as sleep issues are rarely resolved with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Can you explain the importance of sleep health and the impact it has on a person’s overall well-being?
The fact that you are reading this means that either you or someone you know has had a sleepless night or two. Do you recall how it felt the following day?
More and more research proves that sleep does not only make you feel more awake in the day but has also been proven to have a significant impact on your moods and mental health, immune status, body weight, daytime performance as well as your heart and blood sugar.
Does one need a referral to book into Auckland Sleep?
Not at all. We strongly believe that everyone should have equal access to sleep health, and we always welcome any patient who needs our help, with or without a referral. There are some instances that we may need some information from your primary healthcare provider, and that is something we organize after discussing it with you and getting your consent.
What are the most common sleep disorders that you treat, and how do you treat them?
Although we treat all sleep disorders, the most common ones we treat are Snoring, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Chronic Insomnia.
We start the patient’s journey with us by getting them to complete an in-depth Assessment form, which is discussed with our multidisciplinary team, after which we decide on a personalized action plan. For snoring and sleep apnea, we have all non-surgical (CPAP therapy, Dental appliances, Positional Therapy and Allergy management) as well as surgical options (nasal and throat surgeries, jaw surgery, UPPP etc.) available.
Another common condition we see is chronic insomnia and patients who are tired of being on different types of medications. We offer different types of Behavioural Therapy for such patients – both adults and teens.
Our approach to sleep disorders is truly one-of-its-kind. With a comprehensive multi-speciality toolkit available in-house, we have the unique ability to simultaneously address several aspects of sleep disruption with a multi-modality treatment plan. This gives our patients a nearly three times higher likelihood of better sleep health.
What kind of sleep assessments and diagnostic tools does Auckland Sleep use to evaluate patients’ sleep quality and identify sleep disorders?
We have an array of diagnostic tools to assess sleep quality; we are able to measure pressure and flow through the upper airway, breathing effort, pulse rate, electrocardiogram (ECG), nocturnal leg movement, body position, snore sound, sleep talking, brain activity (EEG), eye movement (EOG) and arousal (awakening) measurement.
The above parameters help us identify disorders such as sleep apnoea, central sleep apnoea, upper airway resistance syndrome, periodic limb movements, heart arrhythmias, REM sleep disorders (punching, flailing, kicking, sitting up in bed, jumping out of bed, talking, yelling or screaming) non-REM disorders (sleep walking, night terrors, sleep related sexual behaviour, confusional arousals), teeth grinding, abnormal nocturnal sounds such as catathrenia, sleep efficiency, arousal disorders.
One unique type of home-based sleep study that we offer is the Belun Ring (https://aucklandsleep.co.nz/belun-ring). Our patients get to measure their sleep for 3 nights, which gives us more accurate information adjusted for night-to-night variation. Many of our patients have already tried some over-the-counter devices and we usually ask the patient to wear them on one night of the test. This helps the patient and us to get a more accurate idea of what treatment may benefit the patient’s sleep in the long run.
What resources and support does Auckland Sleep offer to help patients and their families better understand and manage sleep disorders?
Besides having a busy clinic, we are very passionate about spreading the importance of sleep health in our community. We have recently launched a satellite sleep hub project by which all Kiwis, in any part of Aotearoa, get equitable access to good sleep. We also give talks in schools and organizations to emphasize the significance of good sleep and the measures that can be taken towards it.
Many of us suffer from sleep problems, so how does one know if it is time to take the problem seriously and book an appointment at Auckland Sleep?
If it is a one-off sleep disruptor like a major event or pain from an injury that is likely to be a temporary blip, there is comfort in the thought that as things settle, sleep will get back to normal. However, if you haven’t been sleeping well enough for several weeks, it can be a good idea to start looking into solutions. At Auckland Sleep, we believe in early and simple interventions that can bring your sleep health back on track quickly before it becomes a chronic problem needing major intervention.
Please share a couple of success stories of patients who have benefitted from your services. Here are some of the reviews we have received from our patients:
“I’ve had nothing but fantastic service from the entire team at Auckland Sleep. Dr Samant has always shown me the respect of explaining the surgical side of things very clearly, and I felt extremely well looked after when I had my surgeries. Pratiksha was really professional and knowledgeable when it came to the sleep study and CPAP side of things. Besides giving me good information and options, she was also always fun to meet with. Highly recommend these guys.”
“Dr Samant & Pratiksha (Sleep Physiologist) especially was exceptional! Considerate, thorough, relational, and Professional. Highly recommend.”
“Very professional and knowledgeable. After ~8 years of quite severe insomnia, I was beginning to feel very hopeless – the therapy I received has not only helped me see improvement in my sleeping habits but has provided me with the tools/knowledge to manage it. I would recommend Auckland Sleep to anyone struggling with sleep-related issues.”
“I’ve been suffering from poor sleep for quite a while and decided to try Brief Behavioural Treatment for Insomnia since I didn’t manage to improve the quality of my sleep on my own. Throughout four sessions, Anitha guided me through a variation of behavioural adjustments and patiently explained all the metrics I needed to record to quantify changes. After four sessions, my situation improved measurably, and I started to feel a lot more awake during the day. I’ve also got a nice toolkit to use in case I start struggling to sleep well again. I’m very happy with the outcome.”
