Hospital Based Sleep study

WHAT IT IS

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Polysomnography, also known as sleep study, is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders. It records your brain waves, the oxygen level in your blood, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements during the study.

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Polysomnography is usually done in a hospital setting, at a sleep disorders unit within a hospital or at a sleep center. The test records your nighttime sleep patterns. Polysomnography is occasionally done during the day to accommodate shift workers who habitually sleep during the day.

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In addition to helping diagnose sleep disorders, polysomnography may be used to help adjust your treatment plan if you've already been diagnosed with a sleep disorder.

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Polysomnography is a noninvasive, painless test. The most common side effect is skin irritation caused by the adhesive used to attach test sensors to your skin.

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While you sleep, a technologist monitors your:

• Brain waves

• Eye movements

• Heart rate

• Breathing pattern

• Blood oxygen level

• Body position

• Chest and abdominal movement

• Limb movement

• Snoring and other noise you may make as you sleep

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Polysomnography technologists monitor you throughout the night. If you need assistance, you can talk to them through the monitoring equipment. They can come into the room to detach the wires if you need to get up during the night.

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