What is a sleep study?
A diagnostic test that can identify, monitor, or assess various sleep disorders and parameters. Sleep studies can be completed in a sleep lab as a polysomnography (PSG) test or as a home sleep test (HST). PSG in-lab studies are considered the “gold standard” for identifying a broader range of sleep disorders. The main purpose for sleep testing is to identify sleep disorders such as but not limited to: sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, etc.
These tests can also be used to monitor treatment effectiveness and assess severity of disease processes.
Who needs a sleep study?
- Loud snoring
- Feeling of waking up gasping for air
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Daytime sleepiness
- Falling asleep while driving
- Difficulty concentrating (short attention span)
- Waking up with a headache
- Some jobs require sleep studies
- Department of transportation (DOT) ex: commercial truck drivers
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ex: pilot
- Excess weight
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids (pediatric)
- Narrow airway
- Certain medical conditions (e.g., heart failure, Parkinson’s disease)
- etc
SLEEP APNEA
A medical condition where someone has repeated episodes of breathing cessation (apnea) during sleep. This cessation of stoppage of breathing may last seconds or even several minutes and can occur multiple times during sleep.
An estimated 30+ million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. However, many cases go undiagnosed and untreated. Globally it is estimated than over 1 billion individuals have sleep apnea. The National Commission on Sleep Disorders attributes 38,000+ cardiovascular deaths a year to sleep apnea.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructuve sleep apnea (OSA) (The most common typ)
- Central sleep apnea (CSA) (The brain fails to send proper signals to the muscle that control breathing)
- Complex sleep apnea (A combination of OSA and CSA)
INSOMNIA
Insomnia refers to the condition where an individual experiences difficulty in obtaining an adequate amount of sleep or achieving restful sleep. The average adult typically requires around 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night to maintain normal functioning.
NARCOLEPSY
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by an uncontrollable and overwhelming urge to sleep, regardless of the amount of sleep an individual has received. People with narcolepsy can unexpectedly fall asleep in various situations, including during work, conversations, or even while driving. These episodes, often referred to as “sleep attacks,” can last anywhere from a few seconds to more than 30 minutes.
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs, often accompanied by an irresistible urge to move them. The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
SLEEP APNEA
INSOMNIA
NARCOLEPSY
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME
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