RP
Rao Psychiatry
Thoughtful Care. Personalized for you.
Sleep Difficulty Evaluation & Treatment in Dallas
Understanding the cause before treating the symptom.
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, sleeping too much or too little, nightmares, or never feeling rested can affect mood, concentration, memory, and everyday functioning. CDC data show that 30.5% of U.S. adults reported sleeping fewer than 7 hours per day in 2024, and insufficient sleep is linked to depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The cause isn't always psychiatric — anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, bipolar illness, substance use, medications, shift work, and irregular light exposure can all disrupt sleep, and ADHD in particular can push tasks into the night in ways that aren't obvious. Conservative and behavioral strategies are often the first approach, but when they aren't enough, Dr. Rao considers medication carefully — since insomnia driven by depression, anxiety, or disorganized thinking each calls for a different approach, not simply a sleeping pill.
Is my sleep problem psychiatric, or could something else be causing it?
It could be either. Sleep can be disrupted by anxiety, depression, ADHD, medications, shift work, or irregular light exposure — Dr. Rao evaluates the actual pattern and cause.
How can ADHD affect sleep?
Difficulty organizing the day and finishing tasks can push work into the night, creating a cycle of late nights and insufficient sleep that worsens attention the next day.
Will you just prescribe a sleeping pill?
Not automatically. Behavioral and conservative strategies come first, and medication choice depends on the underlying cause — insomnia from depression differs from insomnia from anxiety.
Is poor sleep really that serious?
Yes. CDC data show over 30% of U.S. adults get insufficient sleep, which is linked to depression, anxiety, and several chronic medical conditions.