Why Do a Sleep Study?
If you’re excessively tired all the time or showing signs of other sleep disorders such as falling asleep during the day or snoring loudly, your Family Healthcare Professional may recommend a sleep study.
What Is a Sleep Study?
Fatigue is a very common complaint and can be a symptom of many things. In order for your Family Healthcare Professional to diagnose and treat you effectively, they need to determine whether you’re having difficulty sleeping and why. A sleep study is an overnight exam in a sleep center, that evaluates you while you sleep.
The exam will measure your sleep cycles to make sure you’re getting the right amount of each. Your Family Healthcare Professional will also keep track of your oxygen levels, breathing, movement, and heart rate. Don’t worry…a sleep study is completely painless, but offers invaluable information about your sleep patterns.
Sleep studies will help diagnose:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Narcolepsy
- Restless leg syndrome
- Sleep walking
- And more.
How Long Does a Sleep Study Take?
The test is overnight, but you don’t need to have a full night’s sleep for your Family Healthcare Professional to get information on what might be making so tired. The entire process, including check-in and check-out, is usually 10 hours. After the sleep test, it may take a few weeks to evaluate the results.
How Do I Prepare for a Sleep Study?
You’ll want the sleep test to be similar to an average night’s sleep for you. So get up at your usual time, eat normally, and take your daily medications. Don’t do anything that would disrupt your sleep such as napping or drinking caffeine in the afternoon. Your Family Healthcare Professional will give you complete instructions once you set up a time for the study.
