If you believe that you or someone you care about may have a sleep disorder, and you would like to find a sleep specialist, the best thing to do is to speak with your primary care provider. Your provider is likely to know the best practitioners in your community. Qualified sleep specialists are those who are Board Certified in Sleep Medicine. These people have the education, training, and experience to provide diagnostic and treatment services to patients.
If you visit a sleep center, be sure that it is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Keep in mind that some sleep specialists may limit their practice to specific types of sleep disorders. For example, some sleep specialists focus on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders such as sleep apnea, and would not evaluate and treat the complaint of insomnia. Other sleep specialists may sub-specialize in working with children, or may be certified in behavioral sleep medicine, which means that they have expertise in providing non-drug treatments for sleep disorders.
To see a list of the accredited sleep centers in your area go to: http://sleepeducation.org/find-a-facility.