Why
Do I Need a Sleep Study ?
Sleep
is not a simple process. It is an active state essential for physical
and mental restoration.
Some
84 disorders of sleeping and waking harm personal health and quality
of life and endanger public safety by contributing to traffic and industrial
accidents. These disorders include problems falling or staying asleep,
problems staying awake or adhering to a consistent sleep/wake schedule,
sleepwalking, bedwetting, nightmares and other problems that interfere
with sleep. Some sleep disorders are potentially fatal.
What
is a Sleep Study?
A
sleep study, or polysomnogram, is a recording that contains several types
of measurements used to identify different sleep stages and classify
various sleep problems. This study will probably be a new experience
and we urge you to learn more about it before you arrive at the sleep
clinic.
Many
parts of the brain control sleep and influence its different stages.
These levels or stages of sleep include drowsiness, light sleep, deep
sleep, and dream sleep. We can tell which stage of sleep a person is
in by measuring different activities of the brain and body. These activities
include brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone, heart rate, and respiration.
The
above mentioned activities that occur during sleep are monitored by applying
small metal discs called electrodes to the head and skin. These electrodes
are attached with an adhesive hypoallergenic tape. Flexible elastic belts
are placed around your chest and abdomen to measure your breathing. The
level of oxygen in your blood and your heart rate are monitored by a
clip that fits on your index finger . None of these devices hurt and
all are designed to be as comfortable as possible.
The
sleep study and its analysis and interpretation involve a complex process.
Many hours of work are required by specially trained people, including
sleep technologists who process or score large amount of data from the
night.
The
information is then interpreted by a sleep specialist with special
knowledge of and training in sleep and its disorders. A typical sleep
study involves more than 800 pages of different types of data (e.g.,
brain waves, muscle movements, eye movements). Due to this time-consuming
and labor-intensive process, sleep studies are usually not evaluated
immediately and it may take some time to receive the results of your
study.. Treatment recommendations will be made if evidence of a sleep
disorder is found.
How
Will I Be Able to Sleep In Such a Different Environment With
All Those Wires On Me?
This
is the question most frequently asked by patients prior to their sleep
studies. Many people think the sleep center will be cold, bright, technical,
and impersonal-looking. At our sleep clinic, however, an attempt has
been made to make the surroundings, particularly the bedroom, very homey
and comfortable, something like a hotel room.
The
technical equipment and technologists will be in a room separate from
your sleeping room, and the electrode wires are gathered together in
a kind of ponytail behind your head so that you will be able to roll
over and change position almost as easily as you would at home.
The
day of your sleep study, avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate)
after 2 p.m. and try not to nap. Before coming to the sleep center, wash
and dry your hair and do not apply hair sprays, oils, or gels.
You
may feel strange at first with the electrodes on your skin, however,
most people do not find them uncomfortable or an obstacle to falling
asleep. The sleep specialist recognizes that you may not sleep in the
center exactly as you do at home, but in most cases this does not cause
a problem in obtaining the necessary information from your study. Before
coming to the center you should pack an overnight bag with anything you
will need, as you would for an overnight stay at a hotel or a friend's
house.
What
Will Happen When I Arrive at the Sleep Center?
When
you arrive at the center the sleep technologist will greet you and show
you to your bedroom. The technologist will then show you the equipment
and answer any questions you may have about it and the electrode application.
You should inform the technologist of any changes in your sleep or specific
difficulties that you might not have already have discussed with your
doctor.
You
will have time to change and get ready for bed, as you do at home. There
may be a waiting period before the technologist applies your electrodes
and you should feel free to read or relax. If you have a commitment in
the morning (if, for example you have to be at work at a certain time),
be sure to inform the sleep technologist prior to your study, so that
a wake-up time can be arranged. You also should confirm your desired
wake-up time upon arrival at the sleep center.
While
you are sleeping, various important body functions and measurements are
recorded. The technologist will monitor your sleep from a nearby room
throughout the night.
