I get funny looks when I tell people what I do for a living. A lot of people don't even know my job title exist let alone know where to find me. My technical title is "Registered Polysomnographic Sleep Technologist"...that's a big word to describe a clinician who works at a sleep disorders center...a Sleep Tech. In short, I watch people sleep and try and find ways to help them get the most and refreshing quality of sleep possible. I'm part of a treatment team consisting of doctors, nursers, respiratory therapists and sleep techs who diagnose and treat a variety of disorders ranging from Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, Chronic Fatigue, Klein Levin Syndrome and REM behavior disorder. Despite the lack of public knowledge of sleep as a medical discipline most adults at some point or another have issues with sleep. Many never make it past their primary care doctor who writes a script for a hypnotic agent like Ambien or Lunesta, but when people look for more answers they typically find themselves at a sleep clinic. I've been a sleep tech for three years and I achieved board certification in February of 2009.
I started my latest gig tonight working for a doctor I met in 2008. I was interested because he has acquired a large research grant and has been doing some pretty cool stuff. This year he and his staff helped facilitate a double blind study observing the effects of risperidone vs. placebo on sleep and EEG (brain wave) activity in a group of schizophrenic patients. The study was nationwide and also had participants in India. The patients were paid very well for participating one night a week for nine weeks.
It's unfortunate how far the stigma of mental illness runs, even among trained medical professionals. I knew one of the sleep techs who worked on the research (the one who got me this job) and had to chuckle inside as they talked about risperidone as if it was only a medicine for the completely demented and insane. I take risperidone everyday as a maintenance med for Bipolar II, however this colleagues is unaware that I have Bipolar disorder or take psychotropic medications at all. I guess I pass pretty well...
So the doc's goal is to get us involved in some more drug trials. We could be on the cusp of the next great hypnotic or benzo. Who knows? So I'm super excited about this side job. I'm only committing to two shifts a month. I'm still keeping my full time job which is three nights a week with full benefits and pension and all that jazz. I was sort of scared to exert myself any more than I have been. I pulled back a lot last August after a hellish summer and have been taking it pretty easy with just my three nights at the hospital. All of my mood swings and episodes are related to environmental stress, but I feel like i can keep everything in perspective. Now is the time to work hard. The wife and I don't have kids yet and we are looking to be homeowners next year so the extra five hundred bucks a month will come in handy.
Above everything else it will be interesting to apply my skill set in a different way. I spend about 95% of my time treating sleep apnea so some cool research studies and drug trials will be a much welcomed change of pace.
mellow
