Sleep Study Specialist

What Is a Sleep Study?

If you have trouble falling and staying asleep or if you have trouble functioning during the day because of fatigue, you may be a good candidate for a sleep study at Texas Sleep Medicine.

Sleep studies are non-invasive and completely painless. The sleep lab is set up with private, attractively designed rooms for patients, and a technologist will gather data from sensors that are gently applied to your skin. During the study, the technologist will stay in a centralized control room to measure body functions such as heart rate, eye movements, breathing patterns, brain waves, oxygen levels, apnea-hypopnea index, and leg movements. This data will allow your sleep specialist to diagnose your condition and initiate treatment. Participating in a sleep evaluation is the best way to determine if you have a disorder such as sleep apnea, and once you have received a diagnosis, your certified sleep doctor will be able to recommend a treatment plan.

How Do I Know If I Should Make an Appointment?

The National Institutes of Health estimates that 50 to 70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders or intermittent sleep problems that affect their health. If you’re having trouble sleeping, or if your sleep doesn’t feel restful, you should schedule a sleep disorder test with Texas Sleep Medicine. We can perform a variety of sleep tests and are also able to diagnose and treat other conditions, such as narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome (RLS), and parasomnias (behaviors that occur while asleep, e.g. sleepwalking).

What Can I Expect from a Sleep Disorder Test?

You will arrive at our lab at 8 or 9pm and meet with a well-trained technologist, who will show you the study bedroom and go over the study process. A technologist will then spend about 45 minutes attaching sensors to your head, chest, abdomen, and legs. This process does not hurt at all, and the wires are long enough for you to comfortably move around the bed. The setup will also allow you to get up and use the restroom during the night as often as necessary.

If you are not tired after having the sensors attached, you are welcome to watch TV or read until the time that you normally go to bed. When you do start to feel tired, talk to the technologist so that they can help you get ready to sleep. If you’re having difficulty falling asleep, the technologist may provide you with a sleep medication.

The study will conclude around 6am. A technologist will remove the sensors and provide you with coffee and a snack if you would like it. At this point, you will be free to leave.

Can I Take the Test at Home?

In some cases, it is possible to take a sleep apnea test from the comfort of your home. This test doesn’t measure as many signals as the lab study but may be sufficient for diagnosis, so you’ll need to talk to your sleep doctor to determine if it’s the right option for you. If it is a feasible option, your doctor will teach you how to use a test device that will measure your heart rate, oxygen levels, airflow, and chest movement while you sleep. You’ll be able to use this device for 1-2 nights at home before returning it to the office and having the lab technologists review your data.

How Do I Get My Results?

Our doctors at Texas Sleep Medicine will need to review the results of your study before contacting you. At this point, we’ll notify you so that you can make an appointment to come back to our office or have the results sent to your referring physician. We will then be able to talk to you about a treatment plan and ongoing care options.