Sleep Study
Sleep study is a comprehensive test used to diagnose sleep disorders. The medical term for sleep study is polysomnography. It is a non-invasive exam that records your brain waves, oxygen level in your blood, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements during the study.
A sleep study helps in the diagnosis of various sleep disorders like sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia, and nighttime behaviors like sleepwalking and REM sleep behavior disorder. An overnight stay at a sleep unit is required to conduct the test. While you are asleep your sleep stages and cycles are monitored to identify your sleep patterns and disruptions. An ENT doctor takes into consideration your symptoms and uses sleep study as an integral part of investigation into whether you face disrupted sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
An overnight stay at the sleep study unit or center is needed. Prior to the study a technician will place sensors on your face, scalp, chest and legs. These sensors record brainwave activity (to assess sleep stage), eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm, body movements, nasal/oral airflow, respiratory effort and oxygenation. In addition, a video camera will also be used to study your body position as you sleep. The sensors are harmless and cause no pain.
The normal process of falling asleep begins with a sleep stage called non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. During this stage, brain waves slow down considerably. After an hour or two of NREM sleep, brain activity picks up again, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep begins. Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep. Normally, multiple sleep cycles of switching between NREM and REM happen throughout the night. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, insomnia, and nighttime behaviors like sleepwalking, disturb the sleep pattern.