Steven Y. Park, M.D.

Caring.com Expert

About

Steven Y. Park, M.D., is a surgeon, blogger [(doctorstevenpark.com)] (http://www.doctorstevenpark.com), and author of the book Sleep, Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the #1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. He is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is a board-certified otolaryngologist specializing in diagnosing and treating sleep-breathing problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and upper airway resistance syndrome.

Park lectures regularly to the medical field and to the general public about the importance of proper breathing while we sleep, something most people take for granted. Dr. Park is frequently invited to speak on radio shows and at seminars and workshops about how people can breathe better, sleep better, and live better.

Links

Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Friday April 15, 2011

    1. Why is my mother waking at the same time every night?

      Answer - Since she's waking up at he 90 to 120 minute interval, that's one sleep cycle, when you reach deeper levels of sleep (deep non-REM or REM sleep) at the end of this first cycle. Deeper levels of sleep and especially REM sleep is when your throat muscles relax and you're more likely to stop breathing...

    2. How can I help my father in law return to a more normal sleep pattern?

      Answer - Assuming there are no other medical issues that can disrupt your father-in-law to have these sleep patterns, it sounds like he has advanced sleep phase syndrome. It's seen more commonly in the elderly. One recommended course of treatment is to use bright light therapy (4000 lux) from about 8 PM to 10 PM...

  2. Friday September 03, 2010

    1. Am I getting quality sleep if my dreams are exceptionally vivid?

      Answer - When you wake up during dreams, you'll remember it more vividly. And since dreams are wild and crazy to begin with, whatever you remember will be very vivid. What this may mean in your case is that you stopped breathing, since your muscles relax the most while in REM sleep...

  3. Friday August 27, 2010

    1. Sleep problems and chronic fatigue with no answers!

      Answer - Your sleep problems could be due to a number of different reasons. Chronic fatigue and sleep problems commonly go together. There are a number of different explanations for chronic fatigue, but in most cases it's never just one problem—rather, it's a combination of multiple proble...

    2. im taking suboxone,ive had problems with sleeping for years....

      Answer - Your question is difficult to answer without knowing much more about your full medical history, but sleep problems in people with depression are very common. Ultimately, it's the chicken or the egg issue: Which comes first? Some people have to try different antidepressant medications to find one that works best, as everyone responds differently...

  4. Friday July 09, 2010

    1. What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

      Answer - What you describe is a common symptom of sleep apnea. Snoring, made worse by even slight weight gain, with progression into breathing pauses, is a typical symptom of sleep apnea. Poor sleep can aggravate weight gain, and weight gain aggravates sleep apnea. You don't have to even snore or be overweight to have significant obstructive sleep apnea...

  5. Tuesday December 29, 2009

    1. Post-stroke, what can we do to help him sleep?

      Answer - Your father's experiences with sleep problems after a stroke are common. Fortunately, in most cases, it does get better. Your neurologist can give you a lot more details about all the different options for treatment.

  6. Friday November 13, 2009

    1. What can make sleep apnea get worse?

      Answer - Unfortunately, your mother's experience is not too uncommon. The uvulopalatopharyngoplasty procedure by itself has a 40% chance of success, and the main reason why it doesn't work for many people is that tongue collapse wasn't addressed. If you perform multilevel surgery, then success rates can be as high as 80%...

  7. Wednesday October 21, 2009

    1. How do I deal witih nasal polyps?

      Answer - A nasal polyp is a generic term used to describe any kind of abnormal swelling or growth inside the nose or sinuses. Swelling of the mucous membranes by itself doesn't mean polyps—growth or extension of the soft tissues beyond the normal boundaries is more typical of poly...

  8. Saturday July 04, 2009

    1. What's Wrong if I Get Poor Sleep but Don't Have Sleep Apnea?

      Answer - It sounds like you might have a sleep problem called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS), and the good news is that it's very treatable. But you'll need to be proactive and seek treatment from a knowledgeable expert, because many doctors aren't familiar with this disorder.

  9. Tuesday June 30, 2009

    1. How Can I Get My Doctor to Take My Sleep Problems Seriously?

      Answer - You've done the right thing by talking to your primary care doctor about your sleep concerns, but, unfortunately, what you've encountered is a common problem. Many primary care doctors, faced with a host of health issues, too quickly dismiss sleep problems. And that forces you to advocate for yourself...