What to Expect Before, During, and After a Sleep Study (Guest Post)

Do you think you might have a sleep disorder? Having a sleep study is the only way to know for sure, and is a very important step towards getting the refreshing rest that you need. Still, spending the night in a sleep center can be overwhelming if you’re not sure what to expect. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the four steps to having a sleep study and what happens during each one. This will help you better understand not only the test itself, but also how to prepare beforehand and what to anticipate afterwards.

1. Before your study: get prepared.

If you’re having an in-center sleep study, you’ll be spending the night out of your house in a sleep center. Make sure you think ahead about what to do and bring. Here’s a quick list of some basic sleep study necessities:

• Bring a toothbrush, a snack/water bottle, and something from home to help you fall asleep. If you need a book or magazine to relax before bed, or a midnight snack to quiet your stomach, bring it! The more comfortable you are, the easier it will be for you to nod off and the better data we’ll get. We recommend bringing a pillow from home so you have something familiar to comfort you.
• Wear appropriate pajamas. Even if you have a private room, you’ll be interacting with a technician and sharing the center with other patients, so it’s important to dress the part! Two-piece pajamas are generally best for modesty and ease of placing the sensors.
• Collect your insurance information and paperwork. Keep your medical information handy in the form of your insurance card, driver’s license, and any pre-study paperwork required by the sleep center.
• Bring your questions! If you’re curious about how the study operates, take the opportunity of asking the technician to learn more about the process.
• Otherwise…proceed as usual. As much as possible, follow your typical bedtime routine the night of your sleep study, including taking all regular medication. This will both help you unwind and make sure that the study captures your sleep quality on a typical night.

And it goes without saying, make sure to check with the provider of your sleep study to see if they have any special requirements or policies.

2. During your study: kick back and relax.

Before you go to bed, a technician will place sensors on your head, chest, arms, and legs to monitor your pulse, breathing effort, brain waves, and other metrics. Surprisingly, you may find that your sleep is even better than you expected. Sleep centers should be quiet, comfortable, and dark. But even if you do have some trouble falling asleep or feel like you had a restless night, don’t fret. Typically, only a few hours of sound sleep are needed to successfully determine the results of your study.

3. After the study: talk to your doctor about the results.

Your sleep study results will not be ready immediately after the study, and the technician will not be available to discuss the outcome the next morning. Why is that? Before they are sent to your doctor, a professional sleep physician needs to review the measurements taken during your test and come to a diagnosis about a potential sleep disorder. Once your results have been interpreted, they will be sent to your doctor. If your test detected a sleep disorder, it’s time to talk to your physician about possible treatments so that you can reclaim your restful sleep. In certain rare cases, it is possible that you will need a second sleep study. This could occur if you were diagnosed with sleep apnea, but there wasn’t enough time to find the appropriate pressure for a PAP (positive airway pressure) device, or if you did not get enough sleep to make a conclusive diagnosis.

4. The best step of all: sleep soundly!

The results of your sleep test will help you get the rest you need to make the most of your days and nights. Rest assured that you’ll sleep better because of your study! If you have any other questions, go ahead and explore this list of sleep study FAQs. Guest Article by Dr. Stuart Menn, M.D. About the Author Dr. Stuart Menn, M.D. Dr. Stuart Menn is a Board Certified Sleep Specialist, Internist, and Pulmonologist, and a Member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine since 1978. He is the author of several publications and research articles and has been the Principle Investigator on more than 50 clinical studies in insomnia, sleep apnea, shift work and restless leg syndrome. Dr. Menn began his professional career as the Medical Director of the ICU at the University of California School of Medicine, VA Hospital, La Jolla, CA. (1973-1980). With a growing interest in sleep disorders, Dr. Menn was the Co-Founder of the Scripps Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, La Jolla, CA. (1982-1996). Dr. Menn left Scripps to become a Co-Founder and Medical Director of Pacific Sleep Medicine, San Diego (1996-2001). He is currently a supervisory physician for Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. and continues to practice in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage. Click here to request a consultation with Dr. Menn.