New Clinical Trials for Sleep Disorders

Clinical trials are often recommended for people who suffer from sleep disorders. Studies have looked at how to best treat this common condition, while providing more insight on the underlying causes of sleep disruption. Qualified participants often benefit from access to experimental therapies and focused medical care.

Subjects in sleep disorder clinical trials are monitored closely to track the effects of the applied treatment. Each participant’s progress is recorded throughout the study period. Investigators will continue to track data on subjects following the initial (treatment) phase of the sleep disorder clinical trial.

If you’ve developed some type of sleep disorder, you can take an active role in your health care by participating in clinical trials. Below you’ll find a running list of active sleep disorder clinical trials from around the country. Learn which studies are happening near you and what you’ll need to know prior to enrollment.

What is a Sleep Disorder?

Sleep disorders are medical conditions that keep people from getting restful sleep. Untreated sleep disorders can produce extreme daytime drowsiness and further dysfunction. Studies have identified eighty different types of sleep disorders. Nearly 70 million Americans live with some type of sleep disorder.

The most common sleep disorders are:

• Insomnia
• Restless legs syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Narcolepsy

Talk to your doctor if you believe that you have a sleep disorder – they’ll need to carefully review your symptoms. Doctors can identify issues that may be preventing restful sleep via a physical examination. There are underlying medical conditions which can disrupt sleep, so doctors may conduct further tests to rule these out.

Your doctor may refer you to a sleep disorder clinic (find one near you) if they believe that you have a sleep disorder. Sleep specialists will review a patient’s symptoms and often recommend taking part in a clinical study.

Treatment for Sleep Disorders

Doctors will need to make the following evaluations before prescribing an effective treatment plan for a sleep disorder:

• Underlying medical conditions
• Prior substance abuse disorders
• Psychiatric profile
• Impact of prescribed medication

There are a wide variety of treatments available for sleep disorders. The prescribed course of treatment will depend on the type of disorder the patient has been diagnosed with. It could include any of the following:

• Lifestyle modification
• Risk factor modification
• Sleep medication
• Counseling or psychotherapy
• Medical devices
• Surgery

Sleep specialists can work with the primary care provider to identify the potential causes of a patient’s sleeping disorder. An effective sleep disorder treatment team may also include a neurologist, psychiatrist or dietician.