Getting enough sleep is a key factor in your overall health. But almost 20% of the population in Dallas experiences excessive daytime sleepiness. More than simply not getting enough sleep the night before, daytime sleepiness can put you at risk when doing tasks throughout the day such as driving, and can lead to other health problems and struggles with your mental and emotional well-being.
Dr. Sehdev at Aware Behavioral Health is a Dallas psychiatrist who uses a patient-centered and adaptive approach to treating daytime sleepiness and sleep disorders. His approach to working with clients means that we focus on the underlying cause of your daytime sleepiness and customize treatment to your specific symptoms. This enables us to provide the most effective treatment for daytime sleepiness in Dallas while also ensuring that you feel listened to and supported in your mental health journey.
Causes of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Approximately one in five people will experience daytime sleepiness during their lifetime. The specific cause can vary widely. Because we want to provide a treatment with long term success at Aware Behavioral Health, we want to start by determining what is preventing you from getting enough high quality sleep to feel sufficiently rested.
Some of the main causes of this issue include:
- Insomnia – Insomnia is a mental health condition that prevents you from sleeping at night and can keep you from getting the rest your body needs.
- Sleep Apnea – Sleep apnea is a physical condition that causes a collapse of the upper airway while you sleep, blocking your breathing for 10 seconds or more. This reduces your ability to obtain deep sleep.
- Narcolepsy – This condition causes a person to enter REM sleep at different points throughout the day without consciously going to bed or taking a nap. It can also result in sleep attacks where you fall asleep unexpectedly.
- Physical Health Problems and Pain – If pain keeps you up during the night, you are likely to feel more sleepy during the daytime.
- Restless Leg Syndrome – RLS can make your legs feel uncomfortable and cause them to twitch which hinders your ability to sleep restfully.
- Alcoholism and Other Substance Abuse – While drugs like alcohol can put you to sleep, they prevent you from getting deep sleep. If you are regularly drinking, your body may not be getting enough rest even if you are sleeping excessively.
- Depression – Depression often brings on feelings of fatigue and low energy that can cause you to feel excessively tired throughout the day regardless of how much sleep you are getting.
- Physical Illnesses – Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and other illnesses can cause increased tiredness that may make you feel the need to rest throughout the day.
The effects of excessive sleepiness will vary from person to person and may feel different depending on what is causing them. You may start to feel unpleasantly tired all the time, preventing you from focusing at work or at school. Needing to nap throughout the day can reduce your productivity and take you away from important responsibilities or things you would rather be doing. More dramatic sleepiness can even be dangerous as it can put you at risk for falling asleep in dangerous settings such as behind the wheel of your car.
In almost every case, if daytime sleepiness goes on for long enough, you are also likely to start experiencing additional physical health challenges like decreased immunity, muscle weakness, and more and be at greater risk for conditions like depression and anxiety
Treatments for Daytime Sleepiness in Dallas
Because there are so many different causes and symptoms of daytime sleepiness, Dr. Sehdev offers comprehensive psychiatric treatment in Dallas to help you identify and address all of the various issues behind excessive sleepiness and get you on the right path to getting better sleep.
At Aware Behavioral Health, we treat your daytime sleepiness within the wider scope of any mental health or physical challenges you may be facing. This begins with a conversation between you and Dr. Sadat about your symptoms, experiences, and mental health goals. During this time, Dr. Sehdev will listen to your concerns and learn about your experience in order to provide a personalized treatment that can include:
- Medically Assisted Treatment – Medication can be helpful If you are unable to sleep at night by getting you fast relief while we continue to deal with underlying causes of sleepiness. We can also use medication to treat underlying challenges such as depression or addiction that can make you feel sleepy throughout the day.
- Therapy – Talk therapy can be helpful with conditions that may impact your ability to sleep and cause you to feel tired throughout the day. We can use therapy techniques like CBT to regulate depression or anxiety that prevents rest.
- Lifestyle Changes – Sleeping habits, stress, alcohol and caffeine, or other aspects of your daily routine can keep you from getting the sleep you need. We can work with you on various changes to promote healthier sleep.
Solving excessive daytime sleepiness is an ongoing process and one that Aware Behavioral Health will work with you throughout until we have your sleep needs where they need to be for you to feel healthy and well rested.
Why Choose Aware Behavioral Health for Sleep Disorder Treatment in Dallas?
If you have ever dealt with a sleep disorder for any length of time, you know how devastating it can be to your overall health. Dr. Sehdev is the psychiatrist you can rely on to understand your concerns and help you find the best solution for your various mental health challenges.
Dr. Sehdev works with adults and teens experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness and other mental health disorders throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area in cities including Bedford and Grapevine. Our appointments are virtual so that you can meet with a therapist in Dallas from the comfort of your own home.
To start getting your sleep habits on the right track make an appointment with Dr. Sehdev by filling out the contact form or calling us at 888-677-4562.