The Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic is a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic dedicated to the behavioral treatment of sleep disorders and their consequences. Our expert staff consists of psychologists, physicians, and related health professionals who are experienced and knowledgeable in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep disorders.
We know that behavioral therapies for insomnia and many other sleep disorders produce longer lasting effects than sleeping pills. Therefor we seek to idenitify the root causes of an individual’s sleep disorder and then implement behavioral and lifestyle changes to address the these causes and bring relief. We work closely with the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorder Center in the Department of Neurology to provide our patients with the best integrative care possible.
Who Should Visit the Clinic
Typically, patients first visit the clinic for one or more of the following four reasons:
- they experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night (insomnia)
- they fall asleep and/or wake up too late or too early (circadian rhythm disorders)
- they are tired of taking sleeping pills and want to stop, or they need help with sleep medication management
- they are frustrated with trying to adjust to Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
How We Can Help
All patients of the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program receive a thorough assessment, diagnosis, and therapy to address the presenting problem(s). During the assessment phase, you and your provider will work together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that will identify the goals for treatment. Depending upon the presenting problem, treatment often consists of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy that has extensive scientific support as an effective way to help people with insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, and difficulty adjusting to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. The National Institutes of Health recommend CBT as a first-line treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders.
The goals of CBT are to help you learn about the factors influencing your sleep and to make specific, lasting changes to improve your condition. As part of the treatment process, you will be asked to monitor your behavior and you and your therapist will set daily goals to help you improve your sleep experience. You will then meet approximately once per week for up to 50 minutes, to work toward these goals.
Other treatments may include:
- Medication management
- Light therapy
- Sleep hygiene
- Sleep pattern monitoring
- Standardized assessment of how sleep may impact your mood and function
How to Schedule an Appointment
To schedule an appointment in the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic, please call 410-614-3396, ext. 1, between 9:00AM and 4:00PM, Monday throught Friday.
Before Your First Visit
Before your initial evaluation, we will mail you a packet of information that includes directions to the clinic as well as several brief questionnaires about your health history and sleep patterns. You should complete these forms and bring them with you to your appointment, so that you and your treatment provider can review the information together. Your responses will help guide the personalized treatment plan that you and your provider develop.
What to Expect During Your First Visit
Your first visit will consist of an assessment session and will last approximately an hour and half to two hours. Please arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment time in order to complete your clinic registration. Once your registration is complete, you will meet with a clinic therapist, who will begin your evaluation.
Fees
The fee for the initial evaluation is $400 and is due at the time of service. Up to nine follow-up treatment sessions are provided at no additional cost. In many cases, significant improvement in insomnia symptoms is achieved within 5-6 sessions.
Insurance
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences does not participate in most insurance plans, including CareFirst (formerly Blue Cross and Blue Shield). Instead, you will be provided with a statement to submit to your insurance company to obtain their allowable reimbursement rate. Medicare patients do not need to obtain authorization and will only be required to pay their standard copay amount.
Location
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe Street, Meyer, 1-108
Baltimore, MD, 21287
Phone: 410.614.3396
Fax: 410.614.3366
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Please note that the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic will be expanding and relocating to the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus in 2008.
