In order to monitor your sleep the technician will apply various sensors to your head, face, chest and legs. These sensors will enable us to look at your breathing patterns, oxygen levels and sleep stages during the night to determine if your sleep is being disturbed.
The wires from these sensors are plugged into an amplifier which sends them to a computer located in an adjacent room. The technician will monitor the readings from the other room throughout the night and assist you if you have any problems. Getting up to go to the bathroom is no problem, but try to avoid excessive liquids after 6 p.m.
At approximately 6 a.m. your sleep study will be complete. The technician will wake you up and remove the sensors. You will be able to take a shower at the sleep center if you would like. After that you are free to leave.
What Are All The Sensors For?
Each sensor plays an important part in diagnosing any sleep disorder you have have. They are all non-invasive so there is no pain involved.
Measuring your airflow:
A sensor will be placed just above your upper lip to monitor the airflow through your nose and mouth. During periods of sleep apnea the reading becomes flat because there is no air passing over the sensor.
Measuring your breathing effort:
Your breathing effort is measured with two elastic belts that fit around your chest and abdomen. These belts record the movement of each area as you breathe.
Measuring your oxygen level:
An oximeter is used to monitor your blood oxygen level throughout the night. This device will either clip on or be taped on the outside of one finger.
Measuring your heart rate:
Two electrodes are attached to your chest area to monitor your heart rate and rhythm which may show abnormalities during sleep.
Measuring your brain waves:
In order to determine your stage of sleep throughout the night we record your brain waves with four wires attached to the top and back of your scalp. These sensors may show a correlation between your stage of sleep and breathing abnormalities.
Measuring your eye movements:
One or two sensors will be placed near your eyes to record rapid eye movements (REM) during sleep. The REM stage of sleep is associated with dreaming and deep sleep.
Measuring muscle tone:
Electrodes attached to your chin measure muscle tone which helps determine your stage of sleep.
Measuring body position and snoring:
A small electrod is placed on the side of your neck to detect snoring. Body position is noted by the technician during the night.
The Results:
Your sleep study will be "scored" by a technician to determine many things about your night's sleep. Once this is complete, Dr. Patel, a board certified sleep specialist, will review the sleep study and give his interpretation of the results.
If there is a diagnosis of sleep apnea your doctor may want to try CPAP as a treatment. CPAP has been proven to be highly successful in treating sleep apnea.
The following information is designed to answer any questions you may have if you have been scheduled for a sleep study with California Sleep Center. We hope it will make you feel more comfortable about the procedure and help you understand more about the test. If after reading this you have any further questions, please ask a member of our staff.
Preparing For The Sleep Study
Please abstain from caffeine products (tea, coffee, chocolate and colas) after 10 a.m. the day of the study. If you are sleep during the day, get up and move around bud do not take any naps. Please bring shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt to sleep in along with any other clothing needed for the following day. It is often a good idea to bring your own pillow so you will have a familiar comfort from home. Please shower before your sleep study but do not apply body lotion or hair products afterwards. Men who are normally clean shaven should have as well.
CPAP Therapy
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and a CPAP machine is the device that delivers air pressure. In order for you to use CPAP, we have to perform another sleep study to determine the air pressure needed to keep your airway open during sleep if CPAP was not initiated on your first night stay.
You will be fitted for a CPAP maks which is worn over your nose. Air travels through the mask and into your upper airway preventing your airway from callapsing while you sleep. The air pressure is started at a low setting and once your are asleep the pressure is increased if you have any apnea events. This continues until your apnea events are eliminated.
After this study we will arrange to have a CPAP machine set up for you. Then you will use it every night and if you travel you will take it with you. People with sleep apnea who use CPAP will notice improvement in their level of alterness, increased quality of life, survival and a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity.
Your Sleep Study
