Choose Sleep

About Sleep Medicine

Sleep medicine is a medical subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disorders. Sleep disorders are widespread and can have significant consequences for affected individuals. Left untreated, sleep disorders increase the risk of chronic medical problems such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and stroke. Sleep medicine is an exciting and challenging integrative field covering much of the human body including the pulmonary, endocrine, respiratory, muscular and nervous systems.

Why Choose Sleep

Enter a field with long-term growth potential and the opportunity to positively impact a large population of patients! With an estimated 70 million Americans suffering from some sort of sleep problem, there is an expected increase in demand for sleep physicians to work with these patients who face sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, that can lead to increased risk of heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer if untreated. By choosing sleep, you choose to help millions of patients find a solution to better sleep.

0M adults

have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

0B dollars

annual economic loss due to insufficient sleep

of adults complain of insomnia

0K crashes

are caused annually by drowsy driving

Specializing in Sleep Medicine

Board-certified sleep medicine physicians (BCSMPs) specialize in the clinical assessment, physiologic testing, diagnosis, management, and prevention of sleep disorders. Treating patients with sleep disorders involves an intriguing blend of physiology, neurology and psychiatry. A board-certified sleep medicine physician has all the necessary skills to diagnose and treat sleep disorders; demonstrating a level of dedication and comprehensive understanding of the field of sleep medicine. They work with patients of all ages and use multidisciplinary approaches to treat sleep disorders such as:

Sleep related breathing disorders
Insomnia
Hypersomnia
Circadian rhythm disorders
Parasomnias
Sleep related movement disorders

How You Can Choose Sleep

The Path to Sleep

Read about sleep medicine residencies and fellowships, how to get board-certified, a day in the life, and FAQs

SMIGs

Learn about Sleep Medicine Interest Groups and how you can start one on campus today

Getting Involved

Discover ways get involved in sleep medicine as a medical student, fellow, resident, or program director

Helpful Resources

Download educational resources, read the current newsletter, test your knowledge in sleep medicine and more

Webinars

View our current and previous webinars to learn more about specific topics in sleep medicine

Sign up to receive AASM and Choose Sleep emails with additional information about the rewarding potential of a career in sleep medicine

A Day in the Life of Dr. Chervin

What it’s like to be in sleep medicine

I usually arrive at my office by about 8:20 a.m., after I drop my kids off at school, and I typically leave my office between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. Sometimes there is then an hour or two of email to catch up on from home in the evening.

On weekends, I often work one additional short day, for about six hours. During my time at work, I have a varied portfolio that includes seeing my own patients with sleep disorders, assisting sleep medicine fellows in seeing their patients and reviewing sleep studies with fellows to teach them how to interpret the data and provide optimal patient care.