Sleep studies, also called polysomnography, are painless tests
that measure how well you sleep and how your body responds to
sleep problems. They are also used to help your doctor diagnose
sleep disorders.
The most common type of sleep studies record brain waves and
monitor your heart rate, breathing, and the oxygen level in your
blood during a full night of sleep.
Other ways to study your sleep include:
-
Multiple sleep latency tests measure how quickly
you fall asleep during a series of daytime naps and use
sensors to record your brain activity and eye movements.
-
A
daytime maintenance of wakefulness test measures
your ability to stay awake and alert.
-
Activity monitors help doctors see how much you
sleep and how well you sleep. They are worn at home for
several days or sometimes weeks.
Sleep tests can help your doctor diagnose sleep-related
breathing disorders such as sleep
apnea, sleep-related seizure disorders, sleep-related
movement disorders, and sleep
disorders that cause extreme daytime tiredness such
as narcolepsy. Doctors also may use sleep tests to help diagnose
or rule out restless legs syndrome.
Your doctor will determine whether you need your sleep test at a
sleep center or if you can do it at home with a portable device.
Sleep tests at a sleep center usually last overnight. Removable
sensors will be placed on your scalp, face, eyelids, chest,
limbs, and a finger. These sensors record your brain waves,
heart rate, breathing effort and rate, oxygen levels, and
muscle movements before, during, and after sleep. There is a
small risk of irritation from the sensors, but this will go away
after they are removed.
Your doctor will review your sleep test results and develop a
treatment plan for any diagnosed sleep disorder. Untreated sleep
disorders can raise your risk of heart failure, high blood
pressure, stroke, diabetes, and depression. Sleep disorders also
have been linked to an increased risk for injury and car
accidents.
Used for: