Sleep Medicine · Barcelona
Sleeping well
is an investment
in your brain
Sleep is not rest. It is the body’s most powerful maintenance system.
At Monarka, we evaluate and optimize your sleep using neuroscience and longevity principles. We don’t treat isolated symptoms—we understand sleep as an active pillar of your long-term brain health.
43%
percentage of Spanish adults have sleep problems. Most don't seek treatment.
3×
Chronic insomnia has increased in Spain over the last two decades.
4 g
of toxic waste brain eliminates each night during deep sleep.
What we treat
Chronic insomnia, apnea, circadian rhythm, parasomnias, non-restorative sleep, and sleep in menopause.
For whom
Adults in Barcelona with three months or more of sleep problems, without a clear diagnosis or without improvement.
How we diagnose
Clinical or home polysomnography, actigraphy 7–14 days and nocturnal salivary hormone profile.
Where and when
Paseo de Gracia 130, Barcelona. Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00. First visit without waiting list.
Our approach
An approach that
no sleep clinic
offers
Neuroscience, not just clinimetry
We are specialists in clinical neurophysiology. We evaluate what happens to your brain while you sleep — not just how many hours.
Sleep as a pillar of longevity
We treat sleep for what it is: the body's most powerful brain repair system. Optimizing it prolongs a healthy life.
Precision diagnostics
Polysomnography, actigraphy, salivary hormone profile—nocturnal melatonin and cortisol. There is no single protocol. Every person is different.
Multidisciplinary coordination
When your sleep problem has an endocrine, nutritional, or psychological root, we find it. We coordinate with the entire Monarka team, including our specialist in Humanistic Evolutionary Psychology.
“Sleep is a central pillar of health, as important as diet or exercise. Getting a good night’s sleep is not a luxury—it’s a direct investment in brain health and longevity.”
— Dr. Estela Lladó-Carbó, Scientific Director of Monarka Clinic
7–8h
optimal sleep for cognitive function
90%
The glymphatic system is more active during sleep
20+
years of specialization in neuroscience
Other clinics treat sleep as a problem to be solved. At Monarka, we understand it as a biological system to be optimized—with the same precision with which we manage any other marker of longevity.
Neurolongevity of sleep
What happens in your brain while you sleep
Sleep science has advanced more in the last decade than in the entire previous century. These are the mechanisms that make sleep the most powerful health act you perform each night.
01
The glymphatic system:
Your brain cleanses itself at night
During deep sleep, brain cells shrink slightly—creating space for cerebrospinal fluid to flow and remove metabolic waste products accumulated during the day. These include beta-amyloid protein, associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
This system is 90% more active during sleep than when we’re awake. When we chronically sleep poorly, this cleansing process is interrupted night after night. The consequences accumulate.
“During sleep, the brain activates its own repair and maintenance systems. It is the time when it consolidates memory, regulates emotions, and eliminates accumulated toxins.”
— Dra. Estela Lladó-Carbó
02
Deep sleep and the risk of dementia
Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a significantly increased risk of cognitive decline. Chronic insomnia can increase the risk of developing dementia by up to 40%, even after adjusting for other health factors.
Dr. Lladó-Carbó explains it clearly: fragmented sleep reduces deep and REM sleep phases—essential for memory consolidation and emotional regulation. The damage isn’t immediate, but it is cumulative.
03
Circadian rhythm and neuroaging
The circadian rhythm regulates not only sleep, but also hormone secretion, metabolism, inflammation, and immune function. Chronic desynchronization—due to screen exposure, night work, or social jet lag—accelerates the biological aging of the brain.
Overexposure to digital stimuli keeps the brain in a constant state of alertness, hindering the transition to restful sleep. Recognizing this is the first step to correcting it.
Conditions we treat
What we evaluate
and address
Every sleep disorder has a specific cause. Our precise diagnosis identifies the origin before proposing any treatment.
Chronic insomnia
Persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep for more than three months. We assess the cause—behavioral, hormonal, neurological, or mixed—before proposing a protocol.
Difficulty falling asleep
Maintenance
TCC-I
Sleep apnea
Untreated sleep apnea increases cardiovascular risk and cognitive decline. We diagnose and manage treatment—beyond CPAP when appropriate.
Polysomnography
CPAP
Snoring
Sleep and menopause
The drop in estrogen and progesterone levels profoundly alters sleep architecture. We address this from an integrative perspective that combines neurophysiology and hormonal health.
Menopause
Perimenopause
Nighttime cortisol
Chronic fatigue and non-restorative sleep
Sleeping for 8 hours and waking up exhausted is not normal. We investigate the cause: light sleep, undiagnosed sleep apnea, lack of deep sleep, or hormonal imbalance.
Non-restorative sleep
Chronic fatigue
Actigraphy
Circadian rhythm disorders
Social jet lag, shift work, delayed sleep phase syndrome. We assess your actual biological rhythm and design circadian resynchronization protocols.
Circadian rhythm
Salivary melatonin
Chronotherapy
Parasomnias and RLS
Restless legs syndrome, sleepwalking, night terrors, and other sleep-related behavioral disorders. Frequently underdiagnosed and treatable.
SPI
Parasomnia
REM sleep
Precision diagnostics
How we assess your sleep
There is no single protocol. Sleep diagnosis at Monarka begins with understanding the individual—their history, habits, hormonal status, and brain function—before prescribing any tests.
We have the most advanced diagnostic tools in sleep medicine, which we combine with the longevity markers that characterize the Monarka approach.
“Before treating, we diagnose. Before diagnosing, we listen. Personalization is not a differentiator—it is the only clinically responsible path.”
— Dra. Estela Lladó-Carbó
01
Initial clinical assessment
Detailed sleep history, validated questionnaires (Pittsburgh, Epworth, ISI), habit analysis, and chronobiology. The first consultation lasts as long as it needs to.
02
Polysomnography
Comprehensive sleep architecture recording — brain waves, oxygen saturation, movements, heart rate. Available at home or in a clinic as indicated.
03
Actigraphy
Actual circadian rhythm monitoring for 7–14 days in the patient's usual environment. The most honest information about how you really sleep.
04
Salivary hormonal profile
Nighttime melatonin and cortisol analysis. Unlike standard blood tests, salivary measurement reflects hormone levels at the actual time of night. A significant diagnostic differentiator.
05
Multidisciplinary coordination
When the cause is endocrine, nutritional, or psychological, we coordinate with the specialists at Monarka. Sleep doesn't exist in isolation—nor does its treatment.
Our team
The specialists responsible for your sleep
Two clinical neurophysiologists specializing in sleep medicine. Scientific rigor and a longevity-focused vision in the same team.
Scientific and Longevity Director
Dra. Estela Lladó-Carbó
Nº Colegiado 37217
Specialty
Clinical Neurophysiology, Longevity and Neuroscience
Doctorate
Neuroscience · Hospital Clínic of Barcelona
Fellowship
St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital · New York · 2 years
Experience
+10,000 surgeries supervised in intraoperative neurophysiology
Activity
Coordinator, Neuromodulation Group · SENFC
Director of the Sleep Unit
Dra. Radili Mateo
Nº Colegiado 56947
A physician by vocation, clinical neurophysiologist by training, and Monarka’s Scientific and Longevity Director by conviction. She graduated with honors in Medicine and Surgery at the <a href=”https://www.clinicbarcelona.org/en” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”>Hospital Clínic de Barcelona</a>, completed her PhD in Neurosciences, and pursued a two-year fellowship in intraoperative neurophysiology at <a href=”https://www.mountsinai.org” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”>St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York</a>.
Founder and director of Neurotoc, a national reference center in intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring with more than 10,000 supervised surgeries. Her concept of <em>neurolongevity</em> integrates advanced knowledge of the nervous system with preventive precision medicine protocols.
Specialty
Clinical Neurophysiology and Sleep Medicine
Post
Director of the Sleep Unit · Monarka Clinic
Methodology
Neuroscience, personalized medicine and artificial intelligence
SES — Spanish Sleep Society
ESRS—European Sleep Research Society
Working Group on Insomnia · SES
How we work
Your process at Monarka
From the first consultation to having a clear plan — without unnecessary waiting lists and with all the information you need at every step.
01
First visit
Listening and initial assessment
Dr. Lladó-Carbó dedicates the first consultation to understanding your complete history — not just the sleep problem, but the health context in which it appears.
- Detailed sleep history
- Validated questionnaires (Pittsburgh, Epworth)
- Habit analysis and chronobiology
- Review of previous analyses
02
Diagnosis
Accuracy tests
We prescribe only the tests your specific case requires. No generic batteries—every test has a clear clinical reason.
- Polysomnography at home or in a clinic
- Actigraphy (7–14 days of monitoring)
- Nocturnal salivary hormone profile
- Coordination with other specialists if necessary
03
Personalized protocol
Plan and monitoring
With the complete diagnosis, we designed a protocol that integrates the treatment of the sleep disorder with Monarka’s brain longevity strategy.
- Individualized therapeutic protocol
- TCC-I when indicated
- Hormonal and biomarker adjustment if necessary
- Evolutionary monitoring with objective metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
What they ask us before we come
We answer the most common questions with the same honesty with which we treat our patients.
When should I see a doctor if I'm not sleeping well?
The clinical criteria for chronic insomnia are three months of sleep difficulties at least three nights per week. If you’ve been having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep for that long—and this is affecting your daytime functioning—it’s time to seek professional evaluation. Don’t wait any longer.
I sleep 8 hours and still wake up exhausted. What's wrong with me?
Sleeping many hours does not equate to sleeping well. Feeling tired upon waking—despite having slept enough—often indicates non-restorative sleep: light sleep, undiagnosed sleep apnea, insufficient deep sleep, or a nighttime hormonal imbalance. It is one of the most frequent reasons for consultation at Monarka and has a clear diagnostic explanation.
Is polysomnography done at home or in the clinic?
Both modalities are available. The choice depends on the specialist’s clinical indication: hospital-based polysomnography records more variables (EEG, EMG, EOG); home respiratory polygraphy is more convenient and sufficient for many suspected cases of sleep apnea. The modality is decided after the initial consultation.
Can years of poor sleep increase the risk of Alzheimer's?
Yes. The scientific evidence is solid. During deep sleep, the glymphatic system is activated—the brain’s cleaning mechanism that eliminates beta-amyloid protein, associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic sleep deprivation disrupts this process night after night. Longitudinal studies show that chronic insomnia can increase the risk of cognitive decline by up to 40%. This is one of the reasons why at Monarka we treat sleep as a priority for brain longevity.
I've been taking sleeping pills for years. Is that bad?
It depends on the medication and the duration of use. Hypnotics—especially benzodiazepines and zolpidem—induce sleep but reduce slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), which is precisely the most restorative type of sleep and the one that activates the brain’s cleansing system. They are useful in the short term, but should not be a permanent solution. At Monarka, we evaluate your specific situation and, when indicated, design a gradual withdrawal protocol along with effective alternatives.
I haven't been sleeping well since menopause. Is there a solution?
Yes, and it’s not something you have to accept. The drop in estrogen and progesterone profoundly alters sleep architecture—reducing deep sleep and increasing nighttime awakenings. The salivary hormone profile we perform at Monarka allows us to pinpoint exactly what’s happening and design an integrative protocol that addresses the hormonal origin without automatically resorting to medication.
How does Monarka differ from a conventional sleep clinic?
A conventional sleep clinic treats the disorder. Monarka assesses the individual. The difference lies with Dr. Lladó-Carbó: as a clinical neurophysiologist and longevity specialist, she understands sleep as an integrated biological system—not as an isolated symptom. This means that when your sleep problem has a hormonal, nutritional, or psychological root, we find it. And when optimizing your sleep can protect your brain health into your 70s, we plan for that too.
Sleep Medicine · Monarka Clinic
Your brain repairs itself
while you sleep
Make sure it does it properly.
First consultation with Dr. Lladó-Carbó. Complete evaluation, without generic protocols.
Book your appointment at Monarka Clinic Barcelona.
Paseo de Gràcia · Barcelona · info@monarkaclinic.com
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