What you need to know to prepare for a successful sleep study.

Why do you need a sleep study?
Your physician may refer you to our Sleep Center where you will participate in a sleep study.  A sleep study (also called a polysomnogram) is a test that records your physical state during various stages of sleep and wakefulness.  It provides data that is essential in evaluating sleep and sleep-related complaints, such as identifying sleep stages, body position, blood oxygen levels, respiratory events, muscle tone, heart rate, amount of snoring and general sleep behavior.  The Sleep Center at Middletown Medical accepts adult and adolescent patients.

Our facilities

The Sleep Center is located on the third floor in Suite 302.  Patients arrive at the Center between and 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm on the appointed evening.  There they meet the sleep technologist, who will explain and perform the sleep study.  The sleeping rooms are comfortable rooms with full size (not hospital) beds.  A room with a queen-size bed is available upon request.  Each room has a television.

What to expect
After changing into comfortable sleep wear, a staff member, called a polysomnographic technician, will connect you to the electrodes that will record your brain waves and muscle movements throughout the night.  The electrodes are placed in specific areas and applied with water-soluble glue and tape.  The electrodes record brain waves, muscle movement, rapid eye movement (REM), air intake and more.

A microphone attached to your neck records snoring and two belt-like straps around the chest and lower abdomen monitor muscle movement during breathing.  Patients are videotaped throughout the night as part of the monitoring process.  Despite all of the equipment, most people say it doesn’t disrupt their sleep.

After settling into bed, your technician may go to a monitoring room and ask you over an intercom to perform certain tasks that will show the electrodes are recording properly.  You will be observed on a television monitor during the night to allow the technician to note your body movements during sleep.

When everything is working properly, the lights will be turned off and you can go to sleep.  Many patients are so chronically tired that they have no problem falling asleep.  While you are sleeping, your brain waves will be recorded to determine when you are awake or in Stage 1, 2, 3, 4 or REM sleep.

For some patients who have sleep apnea, the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are evaluated.  Usually these are patients who have had a previous sleep study to diagnose the condition.  During the CPAP study, everything is done as for a diagnostic study.  In addition, a mask is fit around either the nose or the nose and mouth together.   During sleep, we attempt to find a pressure level that holds the airway open and lets the patient get a good night’s sleep.

In the morning
You will be awakened in the morning between 6:20 am and 7:00 am, or earlier if you specify.  Our study requires that you get at least six hours of sleep.  When you are awake, the electrodes will be removed.

Once the sleep study is completed, it is scored by a scoring technologist and sent to a sleep specialist for interpretation.  This entire process can take seven to ten days.  The interpretation is sent to the physician who ordered the sleep study and appropriate follow-up is arranged.

Sleep studies are generally easy to tolerate, comfortable for the patients and give the referring physician the information he or she needs to accurately diagnose and treat the sleep disorder.

List of things to do the day of your test

• Wash and dry your hair on the day of your sleep test.  Try not to use any hair products such as gels, hairspray or heavy conditioners because it may prevent the electrodes from sticking to your scalp.
• Remove nail polish and/or artificial nails from at least two fingers.  The oximeter that is placed on your finger to monitor blood oxygen levels reads this information through the nail, so any polish or acrylic will not provide an accurate reading.
• Do not wear makeup.  Some electrodes are on the face so this area must be clean in order to get a good connection.
• Generally, you are encouraged to get a normal night’s sleep before the test unless instructed otherwise by your physician.  Continue to take your regular medications and limit caffeine intake the day of your test.

Checklist of items to bring for your sleep test

• Pajamas or any comfortable sleepwear, preferably with a button-down front.
• Your favorite pillow or blanket.  The Sleep Center staff provides the bedding including sheets, blankets and pillows but yours may help you sleep better.
• Toiletries such as a toothbrush, toothpaste and hairbrush.
• Clothes for the following day.
• Any needed medications.
• A book or reading material and a snack, if you wish.