Dr. Peter Nassar, MD

Dr. Peter Nassar, MD is a Sleep Medicine specialist dedicated to empowering patients with proactive, comprehensive care at his clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Registered with The Florida Board of Medicine and practicing under Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice), he is a vital partner in preventive health, focusing on the crucial role of sleep in overall well-being. His practice prioritizes the prevention of long-term health complications arising from sleep disorders, creating personalized long-term health plans, coordinating necessary screenings, and managing your overall wellness through seamless collaboration with pulmonologists, neurologists, and otolaryngologists. He serves patients of all ages, recognizing the importance of sleep health across the lifespan.

Dr. Nassar is currently welcoming new patients to embark on a proactive health journey. He is a sleep medicine internist in Jacksonville, FL, affiliated with Baptist Medical Center Beaches, and accepts new patients and telehealth appointments. Dr. Nassar's commitment to comprehensive care extends to all sleep disorders, making him Jacksonville's only full-time sleep physician. He earned his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, followed by residency training in Sleep Medicine at Albany Medical Center Hospital, and further specialized through fellowship training at Albany Medical College. This rigorous educational background, coupled with his dedication to preventive care, positions him as a trusted authority in the field. He provides consultations primarily in English. Call (904) 398-0125 to schedule your appointment.

A key part of the WePrevent mission is building your personalized prevention roadmap. Dr. Peter Nassar is a vital partner in this journey, focusing on proactive strategies to protect and enhance your long-term health.

By working together, you and Dr. Peter Nassar can create a clear, actionable plan to address your unique risk factors and health goals.

A proactive approach to health involves understanding and managing potential risks. Dr. Peter Nassar provides expert care for a range of conditions, focusing on early detection and effective management to support your long-term wellness. Common areas of focus include:

• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease): COPD, a chronic lung disease, can worsen sleep apnea and disrupt your sleep, highlighting the importance of early detection and management to protect your respiratory and sleep health.
• Wheezing: Catching wheezing early is key to preventing more serious sleep problems. It could indicate a condition needing treatment to ensure you get restful, restorative sleep.
• Traumatic Brain Injury: Preventing traumatic brain injuries through safety measures helps safeguard your sleep health and overall well-being.
• Sleep Disorders: Sleep disorders often have underlying causes that can be addressed, protecting you from the long-term risks of untreated sleep problems.
• Primary Insomnia: Experiencing persistent difficulty sleeping? Untreated primary insomnia can lead to serious health issues, highlighting the importance of seeking help to manage it and prevent future complications.
• Psychophysiologic Insomnia: If your inability to sleep stems from learned anxiety around sleep itself (psychophysiologic insomnia), early intervention with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can prevent serious health issues down the road.
• Sleep Related Hypoxemia: Sleep-related hypoxemia, or low blood oxygen during sleep, can seriously impact your health over time, so early detection and treatment are crucial for preventing long-term complications like heart disease.
• Fibromyalgia: Managing fibromyalgia through lifestyle changes and medical treatment is crucial for preventing long-term disability and improving overall quality of life.
• Sleep Apnea: Catching sleep apnea early and taking appropriate action—whether it's lifestyle adjustments or medical treatment—can prevent or delay the onset of many serious health issues, safeguarding your future.
• ADHD and-or ADD: Managing ADHD and ADD symptoms is crucial for improving sleep quality, which helps reduce the risk of chronic health problems linked to sleep deprivation.
• Primary Central Sleep Apnea: Primary central sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where your brain doesn't properly signal your breathing muscles, leading to pauses in breathing during sleep; early diagnosis and treatment can prevent heart problems and other health issues.
• Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder where you experience overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks, impacting your daily life and increasing your risk of accidents; early diagnosis and management are key to preventing these risks.

This list highlights some common health concerns and is for informational purposes only. The best way to understand your personal health and create a prevention plan is to schedule a consultation. Accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans are developed based on individual patient evaluations.

Taking proactive steps is central to long-term health. Dr. Peter Nassar offers a range of key preventive screenings and services designed to provide crucial insights into your health and support your well-being:

• Sleep Study: A sleep study is a test that helps doctors identify sleep disorders like apnea or insomnia, allowing for early intervention and preventing serious health problems down the line.
• Balance Testing: Take a proactive step towards better sleep by undergoing balance testing, which helps identify inner ear problems that can disrupt your sleep.
• Behavior Management: Work with a sleep specialist to identify and change unhelpful sleep patterns that may contribute to sleep disorders, enabling early intervention and better sleep.
• Evoked Potential Test: An evoked potential test helps your doctor check your brain's response to different stimuli, aiding in the early detection of neurological conditions that might affect your sleep.
• Sleep Apnea Treatment: Invest in your health by getting sleep apnea treatment; it helps diagnose and manage breathing disruptions during sleep, preventing long-term health issues.
• Nerve Conduction Studies: Protecting your sleep health begins with understanding your nerve function. Nerve conduction studies offer a thorough evaluation to assist in diagnosing and managing any underlying neurological issues affecting your sleep.
• Smoking Cessation Counseling: Start your journey to better sleep by addressing smoking, a major contributor to sleep disturbances and other health issues, through personalized counseling.

Service availability can change, and not all services listed may be appropriate for every patient. For a comprehensive understanding of all available services and to create your personalized screening plan, please schedule a consultation.

All medical services are provided in accordance with the standard scope of practice for Sleep Medicine in Florida.

Dr. Peter Nassar is dedicated to partnering with Caregivers to achieve their unique health objectives. The following examples illustrate how a proactive approach can make a tangible difference in a Patient's life:

• By proactively managing sleep apnea through a personalized plan, a patient significantly reduced their risk factors for COPD, ensuring better respiratory and overall health. This proactive approach instilled peace of mind and empowered them to confidently anticipate a healthier future.
• By recognizing and addressing early signs of wheezing, a patient proactively managed potential sleep disruptions, ensuring a more restful and restorative sleep experience. This proactive approach helped prevent more serious sleep problems down the road.

These scenarios are illustrative examples of positive health outcomes. Individual results may vary and depend on many factors specific to each patient. He will work with you to define and achieve your personal health goals.

Here are answers to some common questions about proactive Sleep Medicine care with Dr. Peter Nassar:

What is a Sleep Medicine specialist?

A sleep medicine specialist is a board-certified doctor who has undergone extra training to diagnose and treat sleep disorders. They often have backgrounds in pulmonology, neurology, or otolaryngology, offering a unique understanding of the root causes of sleep problems.

What is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and why is it a health risk?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to a blocked airway. Untreated OSA is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Treatment is a critical step in preventing these serious long-term complications.

What happens during a sleep study (polysomnogram)?

During a sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram, we monitor your brain waves, heart rate, breathing, and body movements overnight. This non-invasive test provides a complete picture of your sleep patterns, serving as the gold standard for diagnosing sleep disorders and creating a personalized prevention plan.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological condition where the brain struggles to regulate sleep-wake cycles, often leading to excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. While there's no cure, a sleep specialist can develop a management plan using medication and lifestyle adjustments to help prevent symptoms from significantly impacting daily life.

Can my child have sleep apnea?

Yes, sleep apnea in children is common, often due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Prompt diagnosis is important because untreated sleep apnea can impact a child's growth, learning, and behavior. Treatment is a crucial step in preventing these developmental issues.

What is a circadian rhythm disorder?

Circadian rhythm disorders occur when your body's internal 24-hour clock is misaligned with the external environment, such as with delayed sleep phase syndrome. A sleep specialist can help reset this clock using strategies like light therapy and timed melatonin. We're here to help you find the right treatment plan.

How is chronic insomnia treated?

Treatment for chronic insomnia goes beyond just sleeping pills. Our practice emphasizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), a program that retrains the brain and body for healthy sleep by addressing thoughts and behaviors that prevent it. This is often the most effective long-term solution.

Why would a Neurologist be involved in my sleep care?

Neurologists, like Dr. Nassar, specialize in the brain and nervous system. They are uniquely qualified to diagnose and treat sleep disorders rooted in the brain's control centers, such as narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and parasomnias.

6930 Bonneval Rd Ste 2
Jacksonville FL 32216
Phone: (904) 398-0125

Dr. Peter Nassar, MD is regulated by the Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice) in Florida and is licensed by The Florida Board of Medicine.

National Provider Identifier (NPI): 1629157243

Registration can typically be verified through The Florida Board of Medicine website or by direct inquiry.

The information on this profile, provided by weprevent.org, is for general informational purposes and to help you connect with preventive health partners. It does not constitute direct medical advice from the physician named. Sleep Medicine like Dr. Peter Nassar are skilled in helping patients create proactive health plans. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your sleep medicine about all aspects of your health and your personalized prevention plan.