What is a sleep study?

A sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram or POSM, is a diagnostic test that records the activities of several body systems during your sleep. These tests will use sensors to monitor your multiple body systems, including your heart, brain, & respiratory system, giving healthcare providers a complete view of your sleep quality.

When is a sleep test necessary?

A sleep test is a diagnostic test, which means that healthcare providers use the test to diagnose or rule out health conditions. Healthcare providers usually order this test if you have certain symptoms of conditions that affect sleep to determine how to treat those conditions or to see if completed treatment is working. These conditions generally affect or disrupt your brain, nervous system, breathing and heart function.

The conditions that a sleep study can diagnose include the following:

• Central, obstructive and sleep apnea.
• Narcolepsy.
• Restless legs syndrome and other periodic limb movement disorders
• Insomnia.
• Some forms of epilepsy and seizures.
• Sleep terrors, another name for night terrors.
• Panic attacks that occur at night.
• Problems with sleep behaviour, such as sleepwalking.
• Sleep paralysis.
• Other parasomnias and disruptive sleep disorders.

How is a sleep study performed?

Most sleep studies take place during your usual sleep time. Because most people sleep at night, they undergo overnight sleep studies in a sleep lab. However, those who work the midnight shift, meaning they sleep during the day, can typically schedule a daytime sleep study if necessary.

Who conducts a sleep study?

A sleep study involves a team of healthcare professionals. Those who conduct a sleep study can include medical technicians, technologists, assistants, and nurses, all of whom may be registered or licensed to practice as nurse practitioners.

After you have gone through the sleep study, a physician, such as a pulmonologist or a sleep medicine expert, will look at the test records for signs of any problem. For instance, they can communicate with other services such as the neurologist, primary care physician or any other service you may be attending to get more information about your history or details. They might even follow up with the provider you may be seeing to share results so that both providers can offer seamless, coordinated care.

Overnight sleep apnea test

An in-home sleep apnea test and a sleep study are similar but not the same. Most at-home sleep studies use only a subset of the sensors used in a sleep study. In particular, they may omit sensors that monitor brain wave activity, eye movements, and heart electrical activity.

For an at-home sleep study, it will have sensors that detect breathing in and out of the nose and mouth as well as the movement of the breathing-related muscles in the chest and belly. These are usually reserved for cases in which a provider suspects sleep apnea strongly or for followup testing to see if you still have sleep apnea after corrective surgery, weight loss, etc.

How does a sleep study work?

Various sensors are required in a sleep study because quality sleep depends on several factors. Multiple types of sensors monitoring an entire body system or process allow a healthcare provider to observe a patient's sleep in detail. It can be the difference between diagnosis and failure in diagnosis of some conditions.

The following sensors and monitoring techniques are used in a sleep study:

• EEG or electroencephalography: These sensors contain a sticky, electrically conductive gel layer. This helps the sensors stick to your head while detecting and recording electrical activity of your brain called brain waves. Brain waves happen during different stages of sleep. That is one key way to identify issues or disorders of sleep.
• Electrocardiography (EKG or ECG): Throughout a sleep study, you have an EKG sensor placed on your chest that picks up the electrical activity of your heart. A healthcare provider can look at heart activity to determine if there's any issue with the rhythmic pattern in which your heart beats or if there is an internal electrical problem.
• Electromyogram (EMG): These electrodes are placed over the skin, typically on your face and one leg to monitor muscle activity. Unlike a regular EMG, these electrodes are only for monitoring purposes. Unlike a regular diagnostic EMG, the electrodes do not stimulate any muscle contractions.
• Electro-oculography (EOG): This test involves placing adhesive sensors on the skin around your eyes. These sensors detect eye movement. For the sleep study you will wear four of these sensors, two around each eye.
• Breathing sensors: These include sensors that detect air flow through the mouth and nose.

• Respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) belt: This is a device that senses the expansion of your torso, especially the areas around your chest and abdomen, when you breathe.
• Pulse oximeter: This is a small sticky sensor that you place on the end of your index finger. It displays the saturation in blood flow as well as the pulse rate.
• Video and audio recording: This enables sleep lab staff and providers to see and hear what is happening during your sleep. Doctors can use this if any of the above sensors give them a reading that is abnormal or worrisome in some way. The recording also syncs with the sensor data, so the provider attempting to interpret the sensor readings can see and hear what was happening at that moment.

What to expect before a sleep study? How do I prepare for a sleep study?

A healthcare provider, likely a pulmonologist-a physician specializing in lung and breathing conditions-or sleep medicine specialist, will probably direct you to a sleep study based on the nature of your symptoms and health history. At this point, once they do make such a recommendation, they can often give you options for sleep labs in your area, and they even may be able to help you directly schedule with one.

However, the time for your sleep study would depend on your regular habits, preferences, schedule, and circumstances. Providers would most likely suggest that you schedule your study at a time when you are normally sleeping. Most sleep labs can also schedule studies for people who sleep overnight or for people who work at night and sleep during the day.

• Prepare for a sleep study by packing for an overnight stay and by bathing/grooming for a medical procedure. While there are some variations from sleep lab to sleep lab procedures and capabilities, the following are typically helpful to keep in mind while preparing:
• Follow your doctor's instructions regarding bathing and grooming: For instance, one suggestion often made for sleep study is to bath or shower beforehand. However, you should not use creams, lotions, hair care products, etc., afterwards. Clean skin with no other products on it would be best so that the sensors, which are part of a sleep study, can be attached and have clear readings. So too with hair products such as hair gel or hairspray. It will make it more difficult for the EEG sensors' sticky gel to attach to your head. Avoid using false nails or nail paint. Those will interfere with the pulse oximeter readings from your finger.
• Pack for an overnight hotel stay: they recommend bringing a toothbrush, pajamas or sleepwear, clothes for the morning after the study, and any hygienic or grooming items that you might need. If you have questions about other items you might need, staff in a sleep lab or your healthcare provider may be able to further orient and educate you about what you can and cannot expect. Makeup remover would also be a good idea if you apply makeup or other cosmetics.
• Unless your doctor tells you to do so, follow the instructions for your medications. Your doctor will advise you which of your current medications you should continue with and discontinue before your sleep study. If you have any questions regarding this, make sure to ask your doctor. Stopping some medications abruptly can cause unpleasant or dangerous side effects. Discussing this with your doctor should help prevent such complications for you prior to your sleep study.
• Inform your healthcare provider if you have any skin allergies: Some adhesives applied with sensors during a sleep study can cause irritation or an allergic skin reaction. Knowing this ahead of time allows your provider the opportunity to find other alternatives that won't react.

What can I expect on the date of a sleep study?

On the day of your sleep study, you should do most of what you usually do, but note the following unless your provider tells you otherwise:

• Avoid all caffeine and alcohol at least eight hours before your sleep study. Both can interrupt your standard sleep patterns and possibly affect the results of your sleep study.
• Do not nap: Napping can interfere with your ability to fall asleep during the sleep study.
• Be as routine-like as possible: The more natural sleep you have during a sleep study, the more closely a healthcare provider will be able to interpret the findings, diagnose any condition(s) you may have and subsequently treat you.

What should I expect when I come in for a sleep study?

After you arrive at the destination where the sleep study is held, the health care providers in charge of the survey will take you to the room where you'll be spending the night. Upon arrival to this room, you can change into your sleepwear, and then the staff will go through attaching sensors to your various body parts. Most sensors have an adhesive coating to affix them; some require tape (if you have sensitive skin or adhesive allergies, please inform the nursing staff before they start attaching the sensors).

After the staff has attached the sensors to the machines, they will have you perform a few tasks to help them verify the accuracy of the sensors' calibration. The tasks are elementary and straightforward - moving your eyes, opening/closing your mouth, and leg movement.

The wires attached to the sensor should be long enough to move comfortably in bed. However, if you need to leave bed, you may require assistance from a staff member to disconnect the wires. Unless a staff member tells you how to do it properly, only plug them in; otherwise, it may influence the results of your sleep study.

You can finally put on your pyjamas, kick back on the bed, watch a little TV or read before dozing off into slumber. Most people sleep less well for a sleep study because it is unfamiliar or because they're wearing the sensors. This usually will not affect your study's outcome.

You will be under close observation by health care providers and personnel conducting your sleep study at various times while you are asleep. This includes:

If the wire or sensor becomes loose, staff members typically come in, wake you, and reconnect the sensor.

If they decide you are having some severe issue during your sleep study, such as a seizure or any other potential medical emergency.

What happens after my sleep study?

You will wake up in the morning. Staff from the sleep laboratory will help you remove all sensors attached to your body. You are then allowed to change into your ward clothes and leave the sleep laboratory.

What are the risks and adverse effects of a sleep study?

Side effects or complications are minimal for a sleep study. The most common side effect or complication is probably irritation from—or a reaction to—adhesives/tapes used to affix sensors. Another common effect is that people don't sleep as well or for as long because they're unfamiliar.

There might be other complications, but these are rare and depend on the individual; a doctor will be the best person to explain the majority of possibilities in your case.

What type of results do you get, and what do the results mean?

Review and interpret the sleep study data. After the sleep study, a doctor will review and analyses the data. That professional interpretation is important since a sleep study collects various types of data regarding how one sleeps. It takes years of education, training, and experience to view the bigger picture for a person's sleep data. Once the provider interprets the data, they will know whether you have a medical issue and diagnose it.

After the provider has interpreted the information and developed a diagnosis, they will call you with what they found (if anything) and what they recommend next. They usually call you back to discuss findings more with you at your follow-up appointment. They will also outline other treatment options and next steps.

How long will it take to hear back from a sleep study?

A healthcare provider should contact you a few days after your sleep study to give you the results. This varies depending on the facility, but you can ask your provider when to expect your results after your research.

To seek an expert consultation

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

Request a Call Back