Sleep Disorder Treatments & Procedures

Treatment for sleep disorders can change the trajectory of your cardiovascular and mental health — and dramatically improve your quality of life.   Restore revitalizing sleep and reclaim control of your health with personalized treatment at Houston Methodist. Our neurologists and sleep medicine experts use the latest technologies to provide precise diagnoses and specialized care for common and rare sleep disorders. Most sleep conditions can be cured or managed with non-invasive therapies.  However, for some patients, head and neck surgery is the best option. Specialists on our collaborative sleep medicine team will customize your comprehensive treatment plan, with a focus on improving your cardiovascular and mental health — both today and tomorrow. 

Advanced Diagnostic Technology

Cephalometric Analysis

A neurologist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon will examine your head and neck to search for barriers to efficient breathing in your airways, mouth and skull. Depending on the results, you may be a candidate for a sleep apnea device, dental appliance or skeletal surgery to manage or correct the anatomical issue. 

Overnight Sleep Study

At our hotel-like sleep laboratory, a sleep technologist will track your brain and body activity using a state-of-the-art computer-based recording system to make a video of your sleep for the entire night. The video will record your:

 

• Brain waves  
• Breathing rate and airflow 
• Blood pressure  
• Blood oxygen saturation  
• Body position 
• Eye movement 
• Heart rate  
• Heart rhythm 
• Muscle electrical activity in your chin and limbs

 

A sleep medicine neurologist will analyze the results to diagnose the type and severity of your sleep disorder. Some patients need a second sleep study to determine the best treatment.

Leading Sleep Medicine Treatments

Breathing Devices

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea may be prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. Worn during sleep, this mask flows air through the nose and keeps the airways open. Most patients need a few weeks to adjust to wearing the mask; after that, the majority report improved sleep, which translates to better mood, focus and eventually improved overall health.  

Some patients may benefit from wearing an oral appliance instead. These custom-fitted devices gently bring the tongue, jaw and soft palate forward to open the airways during sleep. 

Medication

Over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids can relieve symptoms of insomnia and REM behavior disorder (RBD) in some patients. Others may need medications to manage the neuromuscular or behavioral aspects of conditions such as restless leg syndrome or RBD. You may need to try different medications over time to find the most effective drug or combination therapy.

Psychiatric Evaluation

Our collaborative neurology team partners with Houston Methodist psychiatry experts to streamline behavioral health diagnoses and care. Your care team will work with you to understand how anxiety, depression or other underlying conditions — and their treatments — affect how much and how well you sleep. Together, we can create a custom plan that manages all your conditions while restoring a healthy sleep-wake cycle.  

Surgery

Patients with anatomical issues that disrupt breathing may benefit from corrective procedures. Depending on your condition, your neurologist or head and neck surgeon may recommend an in-office procedure or surgery, which may be inpatient or outpatient. Advances in minimally invasive techniques offer more patients effective procedures with lower risk of complications and faster recovery.