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Patient Information and InstructionsYour physician has ordered a sleep study to identify problems during your sleep. The importance of sleeping well has always been accepted. However, it has only been during the past decade that medical advances have enabled physicians to better understand sleep activity and to diagnose and treat a broad spectrum of sleep-related disorders. A complete sleep study may involve two or more overnight stays in our facility for diagnosis and treatment. In order for you to be prepared for the testing, please read the following information and complete the Patient Questionnaire prior to your appointment. If you have further questions, please call our office. PreparationThere are several things to be aware of as you prepare to come for your sleep study. Following these instructions will help to ensure clear, accurate results. Bathe or shower before you arrive for your study. Please do not use any hairsprays, hair gels, face makeup, perfumes, colognes, or body lotions. You need to bring something comfortable to sleep in; preferably two pieces such as traditional pajamas or shorts and a shirt. Try to avoid slick materials such as rayon or silk. Please bring your insurance card with you as well as a photo ID; the technician will need to copy them. Bring any normal medications and any that you need occasionally such as Tylenol or aspirin. There will not be any medications available from the staff. Please be sure to eat before you arrive. Smoking and caffeinated beverages are prohibited, and napping is discouraged. We want you to know we will do our best to make you feel at ease. The technical equipment and professionals who record your sleep study are in a separate room. We have made every effort to maintain a clinical yet comfortable atmosphere so the rooms look more like hotel rooms than hospital rooms. We welcome you to bring items from home that will help you relax such as your favorite pillows or blankets although these items are provided at the sleep lab. For your convenience, showers are available the morning after your study at many of our location (see enclosed map.) If you anticipate using our shower facilities, you need to bring your own toiletries. If you use any medical equipment (wheelchair, walker, hospital bed, oxygen, or sleep in a recliner) or will need for a caretaker to stay with you, please notify the office prior to testing so we can make the necessary arrangements. All minor patients will need a guardian to stay overnight with them. We need advance notice of any special needs you may have. Arrival & TestingIt is not necessary to arrive any earlier than your scheduled appointment time. When you arrive at the sleep lab a sleep technician will greet you. You will then be shown the equipment that will be used, given a chance to ask questions, and get ready for bed as you do at home. There may be a waiting period before the technician applies the sensors for monitoring your sleep activity. During this time, you will watch a short video that will educate you on what to expect during your time at the sleep center. After that you may want to read, watch television or just relax until the technician has attached the sensors for your study. In order to understand your sleep and any problems with it, it is important to look at various brain activities and body systems throughout the night. The specific type of sleep study you will have depends on what type of sleep disorder is suspected. For almost all patients, a sleep study involves a diagnostic polysomnogram. It is a recording of various body activities used to determine whether or not you have a sleep disorder and if so, what disorder it is. This test is generally done first because it is diagnostic and tells the sleep specialist what kind of sleep you are getting.
During sleep testing, the activities that go on in your body are monitored by small metal discs, called sensors, applied to your head and skin by paste, tape or another adhesive. These sensors measure brainwave activity, eye movement, limb movement. These measurements are used to determine what stage of sleep you are in, the quality and amount of sleep that you get, and the causes for disturbances and/or awakenings that you might experience. Flexible elastic belts around your chest and abdomen and sensors at your mouth and nose will be used to monitor breathing patterns and breathing effort. An oximeter on your finger will monitor the level of oxygen in your blood and your heart rate. There will be a video monitor in your room to document any remarkable movements or habits, however no recording is kept unless there are special circumstances. A microphone will record snoring sounds. None of these devices are painful and each is designed to be as comfortable as possible. The electrode wires are gathered together so that you may change positions almost as easily as you would at home. Sleep studies are usually completed by 5:00 a.m. regardless of your arrival time. You will be unhooked and out of the sleep lab no later than 6:00 a.m. in most cases so please make appropriate transportation arrangements.
ResultsThe sleep study, its analysis and interpretation are part of a complex process. Technicians are not allowed to discuss results or impressions gained from your night of testing. Specially trained professionals handle the many hours of work that are required to process and score the large amount of information recorded during the study. A sleep specialist with in depth knowledge of sleep and its disorders then interprets the information. The interpretation process generally takes between seven and ten business days. If a sleep disorder is found, a treatment plan will be made to correct your problem and further testing may be scheduled. Please call the doctor that ordered your study to get your results.
Sleep is paramount to your overall health. It is important to remember that sleep disorders are continuous and therefore lifelong testing and treatment should be expected.
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