When you experience sleep difficulties that impact your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep or get good quality sleep, it does more than make you feel tired. It can affect your physical and mental health, impacting your quality of life. Sleep disorders can range from insomnia, the most common sleep disorder that disrupts your normal sleep patterns, to restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.
Manitoba Blue Cross’s Sleep Journey allows you to explore the cause of your sleep difficulties and get support for a more restful sleep. This begins with an assessment to determine what your sleep difficulties may be and, based on your responses, the solutions that are right for you, including:
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Depending on your circumstances, we offer treatment for insomnia in the form of CBT, provided as an internet-based, self-guided program, or you will work directly with a therapist or counsellor through a guided CBT program.
• Sleep consultation
If the assessment finds that your sleep difficulties are likely due to a less common sleep disorder, you will be invited to request a consultation with one of Manitoba Blue Cross’s sleep consultants. Following this consultation, personalized treatment recommendations will be created for you.
• Sleep study
Recommendations from your sleep consultation may include a polysomnogram, which is a sleep study that monitors and records data about your body during a full night’s sleep. Manitoba Blue Cross is proud to provide access to in-home polysomnography that produces lab-quality diagnostics at a reduced cost.
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It takes about 5-10 minutes to complete the full assessment.
Depending on the cause of the sleep disorder you are experiencing, the following may be recommended:
• Sleep hygiene and other lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise.
• Treatment for a preexisting or co-occurring medical condition.
• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) or relaxation techniques.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or dental appliances.
• Medication or natural products as prescribed by your physician.
The following are offered at no cost to you as part of Manitoba Blue Cross’s Sleep Journey:
• Sleep assessment
To help determine what your sleep difficulties may be, the online questionnaire includes a series of questions based on your recent sleep behaviours and patterns.
• Cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT)
Depending on your circumstances, we offer treatment for insomnia in the form of CBT, provided as an internet-based, self-guided program, or you will work directly with a therapist or counsellor through a guided CBT program.
• Sleep consultation
If the assessment finds that your sleep difficulties are likely due to a less common sleep disorder, you will be invited to request a sleep consultation with one of Manitoba Blue Cross’s sleep consultants. During this, personalized treatment recommendations will be provided.
There may be some costs associated with the recommended treatment plans. A sleep study does have a cost associated with it. If you require a sleep study, Manitoba Blue Cross provides access to in-home polysomnography – a sleep test, much like the test you would take in a sleep clinic but administered by you in the comfort of your home – that produces lab-quality diagnostics at a reduced cost. The associated cost may be claimable under your group or personal health benefits plan, health spending account or wellness spending account. A polysomnogram is also an eligible medical expense you can claim on your income tax return.
No problem! If you’re not ready to take the sleep assessment, you can find additional resources and information about proper sleep hygiene that can help you improve your sleep habits here.
A Manitoba Blue Cross sleep consultant will refer you to one of our partners, who will coordinate the delivery of the polysomnogram to your home. This will be in the form of an at-home sleep test that can be administered by you in the comfort of your home.
The at-home sleep test includes:
• step-by-step instructions
• testing device
• nasal sensor belt
• nasal cannula
• pulse oximeter
• hypo-allergenic adhesive tape
• AAA batteries
Once you’ve completed the sleep study, you will be asked to return the equipment, and a physician will review the results and share them with you.
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