Demand for sleep clinics in Manitoba on the rise, experts say need is there

The number of Manitobans looking for help on how to sleep better has gone up. One expert says that's because the function of the bedroom has changed.

Hundreds of Manitobans are looking for professional help as a way to treat their sleepless nights.

The province’s publicly run Behavioural Sleep Medicine Clinic saw more than 1,300 referrals to its clinic last year. More than 400 were treated.

Aaron Arkin, a psychotherapist at Careica, told 680 CJOB that sleep is a crucial part of one’s overall health and wellness. Careica is a private sleep clinic that, according to its website, helps Canadians “suffering from poor sleep & respiratory-related illnesses.”

“I think sleeping well should be a really important New Year’s resolution for all of you,” Arkin said.

Sleep health, he added, should be seen in the same light as spending money to go to the gym.

“Most people don’t think twice about it because they see the benefits of that,” he said.

Miranda Dorno, 53, said she went to Careica and was diagnosed with insomnia. Speaking to 680 CJOB, she said for her, a lack of proper sleep meant she was too tired to even drive — feeling like she was impaired.

She said she got a referral to the province’s publicly run sleep clinic, but the wait times were too long. Once the pandemic hit, she said she felt resigned, until she decided to pay out of pocket and go private.