Talking to Your Doctor About Sleep Issues - Narcolepsy Nerd Alert Ep. 21

Feeling like you might be more than “just tired?” Wondering how to talk about sleep issues with your primary care provider? You’re not alone. In Talking to Your Doctor About Sleep Issues, guests shared insights from clinical and patient perspectives on discussing sleep issues and daytime sleepiness with general practitioners, and how to get referred to a sleep specialist.

About our Guests:

Joshua Roland, MD

Studied psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he developed an interest in sleep and its role in mental health and well-being. Before attending medical school, he worked in clinical research conducting studies on sleep pharmacotherapies. Dr. Roland completed his residency at Drexel University College of Medicine and then did a sleep medicine fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. He practiced sleep medicine at UCLA, and worked on guidelines for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, as well as serving on the California Sleep Society board of directors. He currently is the medical director of River at Thirty Madison.

Kristen Cascio

Kristen Cascio is a clinical social worker and world traveler from Boston. She was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at age 31. Kristen now hopes to raise awareness while encouraging others to never feel self-conscious about their diagnosis. As a speaker with Project Sleep’s Rising Voices program, she shares her story to increase public knowledge around sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.

Lauren Oglesby, MPH

Lauren Oglesby serves as Programs Manager for Project Sleep, and is a public health educator and advocate focused on healthcare and resource accessibility. Recently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at age 44 after experiencing symptoms for years, she shares her story to validate and empower others in self-advocacy and healthcare navigation.

Resources:

• Talking to Your Doctor About Sleep Issues Toolkit Coming Soon!

• Project Sleep's Sleep Helpline: https://project-sleep.com/helpline/
• Finding Your Sleep Healthcare Team: https://project-sleep.com/finding-your-sleep-healthcare-team/
• Sleep Disorders Screener: https://sleephealthscreen.com/
• Epworth Sleepiness Scale: https://sleep.hms.harvard.edu/education-training/public-education/sleep-and-health-education-program/sleep-health-education-90
• Hypersomnia Foundation's Directory of Healthcare Professionals who treat hypersomnias: https://www.hypersomniafoundation.org/directory/
• Find an AASM Accredited Sleep Center: https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-center/

The Narcolepsy Nerd Alert series invites listeners to dive deeper into specific topics relevant to living with narcolepsy. project-sleep.com/narcolepsy-nerd-alert/

Download podcast transcription here.