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What to Expect at My Overnight Sleep Study
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On the day of your test:
There are very few requirements for the day leading up to your sleep study. However, it is very important to avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate) after 12:00 NOON and try not to nap. Before coming to the sleep center, eat a normal meal, wash and dry your hair, and do not apply hair sprays, oils or gels. Be sure to bring a change of clothes for the next day, toiletries and your favorite pillow.
Be sure to inform your physician about any medications that you may be taking well before your study night! This includes prescription medications, over the counter medications and dietary supplements such as melatonin and diet pills.
Arriving at the Sleep Center:
The technologist will greet you when you arrive at the sleep center and show you to your bedroom. At that time he/she will review the sleep study procedure with you and you will be given a chance to ask questions about any element of your study. The technologist will ask you fill out some forms and questionnaires. Be sure to let us know about your current health and physical condition. It is very important to provide us the following information:
Any medications you have taken in the 24 hours prior to your arrival.
Any sleep difficulties you that have not already been discussed with your physician
Any recent changes in your overall health. Do you have a cold or did you have trouble sleeping on the previous night?
Do you need to be at work at a certain time the next day? You may want to reschedule other commitments for the morning, but if that is not possible confirm a wake-up time when you arrive at the sleep center.
After filling out your papers you'll have time to make yourself comfortable, change into nightclothes and prepare for bed, just as you would at home. Your arrival time is scheduled to insure that you have enough time to complete your bed time tasks prior to the technologist applying the probes for you sleep study. If there is additional time you can read or relax as you normally would at home.
The Hook-up:
Before bedtime, the technologist will attach the monitoring devices that will allow us to assess your sleep patterns. They are all quite small and designed to be as comfortable as possible. These electrodes and devices may feel strange at first on your skin, but most people do not find that they are uncomfortable or prevent them from falling asleep.
Typically we monitor the following signals:
Brainwave patterns and eye movements allow us to determine whether you are asleep or awake and help us determine each stage of sleep. Each night when you sleep you move through several levels of sleep called stages. When you dream, you are in a particular stage called REM sleep (which stands for Rapid Eye Movement sleep). This is a very important stage because breathing patterns become less regular in REM sleep and people suffering from Sleep Apnea tend to have their longest apneas when they are in REM sleep.
Breathing patterns allow us to determine when you are breathing and when you may be fighting for breath. When a person has an apnea they continue to try to breathe but their airway is blocked. We monitor both your breathing efforts and the amount of air flowing out of your nose and mouth. This allows us to determine when you are breathing and how long you stop breathing if you have an apnea.
Electrocardiogram and heart rate are measured to see how hard your heart is working during sleep. During an apnea the heart will slow down when you stop breathing and speed up as you struggle to breathe again.
Leg movements and muscle activity in the chin are measured to determine if you suffer from sleep movement disorders. The chin muscles help us look for REM sleep because the body relaxes all your muscles while you are in that stage.
Oxygen levels are monitored by an incredible device that looks like a small bandage. It determines the oxygen content of your blood by shining an infrared light through your finger or ear lobe. It is completely painless and is one of the most important aspects of the sleep study.
Preparing for Bed:
After the technologist finishes your hook-up he/she will escort you back to your room. They will be monitoring your sleep from a nearby room so that your privacy is insured. Via intercom, they will ask you to perform a variety of movements to insure the proper operation of the equipment. When you are ready for bed, you will contact the technologist via intercom so that they can start the recording.
Reviewing the use of a CPAP mask:
If you are being monitored for Sleep Apnea, it may be necessary to place you on CPAP sometime during the night. If you are to be placed on CPAP, it will be discussed with you prior to your visit.
The technologist will select an appropriately sized mask, insure that it is properly fitted and correct any air leaks. This will give you a chance to get used to the feel of the CPAP mask and spend a few moments breathing on the CPAP machine. Your physician will determine if it is necessary for you to spend time breathing on the machine during the study. You can find more information on CPAP titration studies by clicking here.
The Sleep Study:
After saying "good night" most patients will quickly fall off to sleep. Your work has ended, but the night has just begun for your dedicated sleep technologists. From their control room they will monitor you throughout the night. Their number one job is to insure your comfort and safety. If you should need anything during the night the technologists may be contacted at any time via intercom. Be sure to contact the tech if you need to get out of bed for any reason.
The monitoring devices are very sturdy so feel free to sleep in any position that you find comfortable. Your technologist will assist you if any equipment becomes dislodged.
Waking up:
After you wake up, the technologist will remove all the probes. The un-hooking will only take a few minutes so you will quickly be free.
The results of the study:
In order to fully understand your sleep problem we will need to look at a great deal of information about your sleep stages, breathing patterns and body movements throughout the night. After the study, a sleep specialist will review and interpret the record to help you understand your results and specific needs. Treatment recommendations will be made if evidence of a sleep disorder is found.
It is not possible to tell you the results of study over the phone. The information is very complex and is better understood during a face-to-face follow-up consultation with the doctor.
If you were seen at our sleep clinic prior to your study - we will e-mail you with a time for your follow-up visit with the sleep specialist. Typically this will be 10-21 days after your study. Please contact our office of the best times to schedule this appointment.
If you were referred for your study directly from your family physician or another specialist, please contact his/her office for an appointment 2-3 weeks after your study.
If you are scheduled for a CPAP titration study, please inform us of your choice of DME provider when you arrive at the lab for your CPAP study.
Your follow-up visit:
After your physician has a chance to review the data, you will be scheduled for a follow-up consultation to discuss the results of your study and review recommendations for treatment. Generally this meeting will take place 2-3 weeks after your study.
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