Sleep Studies
If your doctor suggests you undergo a sleep study, or polysomnography, you may be wondering what is involved in this test and what to expect.
Polysomnography, also called a sleep study, is a comprehensive test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography records your brain waves, the oxygen level in your blood, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements during the study.
Sleep studies help doctors diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia, and nighttime behaviors like sleepwalking and REM sleep behavior disorder. Often these disorders cannot be identified with a normal office visit—your doctor needs to gather more conclusive evidence while you’re asleep.
What is a sleep study?
A sleep study is a non-invasive, overnight exam that allows doctors to monitor you while you sleep to see what’s happening in your brain and body. For this test, you will go to a sleep lab that is set up for overnight stays—usually in a hospital or sleep center. While you sleep, an EEG monitors your sleep stages and the cycles of REM and nonREM or NREM sleep you go through during the night, to identify possible disruptions in the pattern of your sleep.
The data from your sleep study will usually be taken by a technologist, and later evaluated by your doctor. This may take up to two weeks, when you’ll schedule a follow up to discuss the results.
What Can a Sleep Study Diagnose?
A sleep study is used to diagnose many sleep disorders, including:
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
Sleep Talking (Somniloquy)
Who Needs a Sleep Study?
Sleep studies are a vital diagnostic tool for many sleep disorders. A doctor can prescribe a sleep study depending on a person’s symptoms and overall health.
Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing sleep issues or daytime symptoms such as fatigue, drowsiness, depression, or difficulty concentrating. Patients with obesity with sleep issues should be screened for sleep apnea. Your doctor can help you determine whether a sleep study is right for you.
If you have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder and your symptoms are not improving with treatment, a follow-up sleep study can help your doctor determine the next steps for your care.
SBA is here for you.
SBA's sleep disorder specialists will help you diagnose these problems, and will work with your physician to treat the condition, and improve your health.
SBA consists of board certified pulmonologists, Medical Directors, registered respiratory therapists, and technologists. You can sleep well, knowing that our staff of highly trained specialists is there for you.
Doctors, nurses and our past guests have seen the personal attention, understanding, and compassion we will provide you. We appreciate the trust that you place in us, in helping you sleep better.
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