Sleep Conditions

For patients traveling out of state, this is for Referral Only from an Outside Sleep Provider, Please fax documents (i.e.: Sleep Studies, office visit notes etc.) to 404-712-8145.

We are currently providing a consultation-only service for most patients traveling from out of state. This means that Drs. Rye and Trotti may make recommendations about possible treatment options, but they will not prescribe these treatments.

For patients who are willing and able to travel to Georgia frequently, Drs. Rye and Trotti may prescribe medications. However, every time medication is prescribed or the dose is adjusted, and for every follow-up visit, travel back to Georgia would be required. This would likely require travel to Georgia every 3 months or so, potentially more often when new treatments are started. This option is most suitable for people in neighboring states. Patients opting for this model will still benefit from working with their local doctor for routine care.

If you have chronic problems during sleep, you're not alone. Over one-third of the general population suffers from some kind of sleep disorder. The Emory Sleep Center treats a wide spectrum of these conditions, including:

The main symptom of Idiopathic Hypersomnia Sleep (IHS) is common daytime sleepiness despite adequate, or more typically, extraordinary sleep amounts (e.g., more than 10 hours per night). Additional symptoms include unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep and feeling groggy or disoriented when you wake up.

Symptoms usually occur in mid-to-late teens, although they can begin at a later age. Symptom intensity often varies between weeks, months, or years, worsens before menses, and spontaneously fades in 10-15% of patients. People with hypersomnia describe their sleep as "deep" and waking up difficult, often requiring multiple alarm clocks and morning rituals to ensure they wake up for school or work. Naps tend to be very long – on the scale of hours – and unrefreshing.

• Do you sleep more than 10 hours a night?
• Do you find it difficult to wake up in the morning?
• Do you wake up from a full night's sleep and still feel unrefreshed?
• Are stimulant medications, for example, Adderall or Dexedrine, ineffective at making you feel more alert?
• Do you fall asleep inadvertently during the day?
• Do you have a sibling, parent, or child who has been diagnosed with a disorder of excessive daytime sleepiness?
• If you answered "Yes" to several of the questions above, you might benefit from further evaluation by a sleep clinician.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a cessation of breathing during sleep for intermittent periods of 10 to 60 seconds, that can disturb an individual's sleep hundreds of time throughout the night without their knowledge.

As many as 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. It is more common among men, those who snore, are overweight, have high blood pressure, or physical abnormalities in their upper airway. Sleep apnea requires treatment. It lowers blood-oxygen levels, puts a strain on the heart, and is associated with high blood pressure, stroke, headaches, depression, daytime sleepiness, and a higher likelihood of diabetes and being involved in a car accident.

There are 2 main types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This is the most common type of apnea and occurs when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway, causing an individual to stop breathing or take shallow breaths while sleeping.

The airway blockage can be caused by a variety of factors including:

• Excess weight
• Alcohol consumption before sleep
• An unusually large tongue
• Large tonsils
• The position of the jaw in proportion to the air passage
• Excess tissue in the upper throat or nasal passages

Symptoms include:

• Loud snoring followed by a period of silence
• Night sweats
• Waking up during the night gasping or choking
• Waking up unrefreshed or with a headache
• Sleepiness or trouble staying awake during the day
• Irritability due to fatigue

Central Sleep Apnea

This form of sleep apnea is a result of breathing pauses during sleep. It is most often associated with both brain problems (for example, stroke) and heart problems.