Interview for Sleep Rest Clinic Makuhari

Interview with Sleep Rest Clinic Makuhari

　We interviewed Dr. Ryuta Iwane, Director of Sleep Rest Clinic Makuhari, located in Mihama-ku, Chiba, via video call. Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to respond to us in a very kind and courteous manner.

1.Why did you choose the path of psychiatry and sleep outpatient services?

　At first it was surgery and otolaryngology. But in the course of my treatment, I encountered patients who could not be cured or whose causes could not be clarified no matter what I did. I studied not only to diagnose the body, but also to diagnose the mind. The mind and body are closely related. When the mind is weak, the body becomes sick and when the body becomes sick, the mind becomes sick.

　Also, there was no outpatient sleep clinic in Chiba Prefecture. I thought that I could help everyone, regardless of age or sex, regarding sleep.

2.What is the age range of your patients?

Men are in their 40s and 50s
Women are about 50-55 years old.
(Some have to do with menopause.)

　However, both men and women of all ages, from teens to 90s, visit the clinic.

3.What are the most common causes of your problems?

　　It is mainly interpersonal, but many are not even aware of it.Some people can not sleep

4.What do you find rewarding about your job?

　I am happy to see my patients get well and come to talk to me about it. And I am more happy that they come to talk about it.

5.What do you pay attention to when talking with patients?

　I am conscious of using polite language and not making even small children nervous.

　However, with the corona disaster and wearing a mask, it became difficult to read facial expressions and to know what they were looking for. In examining a patient, the eyes are the most important. But, it is often difficult to tell without the full expression of the face.

(*The intonation of the teacher's voice and the way he used language were gentle and understanding, even to us junior high school students.)

6.Have there been any changes in patients with pandemic?

　With the Corona Disaster, I spent more time at home. This caused many people to lose their sleep balance, become depressed, and have nervousness. However, this has been decreasing recently as the disease has progressed.。

(*We also had to take classes online and were often unable to leave our homes. So I wanted to see my friends and teachers and take classes.)

7.How can I get a good night's sleep?

　Don't think before you go to bed.
→If you can't help but thinking about it, get up and have a drink or something to eat.

　Warm up about an hour before going to bed.
→When the human body temperature is lowered, it is easier for sleep hormones to be released, so it is best to take a bath one hour before bedtime. Then, by the time it is time to go to bed, the body temperature will gradually cool down, and sleep hormones will be released, making it easier to sleep.

(*Some people do yoga before going to bed. However, hard yoga can have the opposite effect, so those who do yoga or stretching before bed should do so in moderation.)

After the interview...

　　This time we asked a specialist in sleep disorders for an interview. The clinic is located in front of the station, surrounded by many corporate buildings and schools. The time we spent with the doctor, who is also an industrial physician, was very valuable. 　Hearing that every major company in the U.S. has one industrial physician, I hope that more companies in Japan will hire industrial physicians. This interview taught me a very important lesson: we need an environment where we can consult regardless of age. 　Knowing that mental illness is not a weakness of the mind, but a disease, just as people have physical illnesses, has lowered the hurdle for me to see a psychiatrist. 　Worries and concerns can lead to mental illness, so it is necessary to rely on someone else. Therefore, I thought it was very important to confide my worries to someone and to go see a specialist.

　Dr. Iwane, the director of the clinic, and the clinic staff, thank you for your courteous response from start to finish. Thank you very much for the interview.

The image was taken from this website, and we received permission directly from them.
Sleep Rest Clinic Makuhari HP