Types of Sleep Studies

Types Of Sleep Studies

While a classic sleep study involves an overnight stay at the Sleep Clinic, others are run somewhat differently. What type of test you’ll take will depend on your symptoms and the suspected cause.

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Polysomnogram (PSG)

This overnight sleep study is done to track several different body functions while you are sleeping. You’ll check in, change into pajamas, and have electrodes placed on your chest, head, arms, legs, and one finger. You may also wear soft elastic belts around your stomach and chest.

The sensors are there to record factors such as oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood, brain wave activity, breathing rate, airflow from exhalations, heart rate, and eye movement.

Split Night Sleep Study

For suspected sleep apnea, a patient will have a regular PSG for the first half of the night, followed by the addition of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. After putting on the CPAP mask, the test will record whether the machine corrects sleep apnea that’s caused by an obstructed airway.

The test also records how your body responds to the various adjustments made to the airway pressure by the technician. This helps determine the best CPAP setting for you, should you need the machine at home.

At some point, you may need to return for another split night sleep study to see if the setting should be adjusted. Reasons for this include lack of improvement in your sleep apnea, weight loss or gain, or a surgery related to your sleep apnea treatment.

Multiple Speed Latency Test (MSLT)

If you have a suspected sleep disorder like idiopathic hypersomnia or narcolepsy, your overnight PSG test may be followed by a second test about two hours later. This test, the multiple sleep latency test, or MSLT, measures how quickly you fall asleep during the daytime. You may need several MSLTs during the day in order to capture the moments in which you nap.

Sensors are placed on different parts of the patient’s head, which primarily measure eye movements and brain activity. The test measures both your rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep, and the three non-REM stages of rest. The results of the test help your medical team determine if you have a specific sleep disorder that causes extreme fatigue and sudden sleeping bouts during the day.

Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT)

An MWT measures if you are alert as you should be during the day. It follows an overnight PSG, and starts with sensors placed at different points of your head.

You’ll be asked to sit in a comfortable position, looking straight ahead for 30 to 40 minutes. The MWT might be repeated a few times, with a two-hour break between tests. The sensors pick up your level of alertness, as well as whether staying awake during the day is something your body struggles to do.

In part, the tests help guide recommendations concerning whether you should suspend activities until your condition improves. It also measures whether there has been improvement following treatment. The technician may also explore the influence of conditions like varying levels of light and noise on your levels of alertness.

Home-Based Portable Monitor

There may be times when it’s not practical for a patient to spend the night at the Sleep Clinic, or when a follow-up is needed that doesn’t require an in-person visit. In these cases, a home-based portable monitor will be lent to the patient.

These home devices are similar to an on-site overnight test, in that they record heart rate, airflow, blood oxygen levels, and chest and belly movements. A specialist will analyze the results.

You may be asked to take the test on a one-time basis, or for regular intervals over a period of time. Once the testing is done, you’ll return the equipment to the Sleep Clinic at Summit Center for Health.
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