If you are having difficulty getting a good night’s rest for whatever reason, your doctor may recommend that you undergo a sleep study as a prelude to an effective solution.
Before you are tested overnight, either at home or at a lab, it is important that those evaluating your sleep disorder know what you are experiencing in your own words.
The sleep study questions they will ask you will focus on several key areas, including your:
- Sleep-related symptoms
- Degree of drowsiness
- Sleep history
- Level of insomnia
- Sleep hygiene
- Nocturnal awakenings
- Overall physical condition
- Past medical history
- Family history
- Medications
Depending on your specific sleep problem, questions relevant to the sleep study may include the following:
- The location, quality, quantity, or severity of your symptoms.
- When do these symptoms occur? How frequently and for how long?
- Where do these symptoms occur? What triggers them? How do they impact your personal life?
- Do you snore? If so, how loudly and how often?
- Do you awaken from sleep short of breath or feeling that you are choking? How often does this occur?
- Do you experience morning headaches?
- How tired are you during the day? Do you doze off or feel groggy during afternoon activities? How alert do you feel during work, school, or other daily activities?
- Do you have leg cramps at bedtime?
- Do you talk in your sleep? Do you ever sleepwalk?
- Do you remember your dreams? Do you have nightmares and, if so, do you ever act them out in your sleep with leg or arm movements? Have you hurt yourself or someone else with these nocturnal movements?
- Are you able to fall asleep within 15 minutes?
- Do you have anxiety that prevents you from falling asleep?
- What time do you go to bed and what time do you usually wake up?
- How many times do you wake up during sleep? If you do, what time does it occur and for what reason (to urinate, because of heartburn, or shortness of breath)?
- Do you work a night shift?
- Do you experience jet lag?
- Do you have trouble waking up in the morning and prefer to stay up late?
- What medications are you currently taking to try to help with your sleep problem?
- Does insomnia or narcolepsy run in your family?
- How much coffee and/or other caffeine products do you consume per day and at what time?
- Do you drink alcohol and, if so, in what quantity and how long before bed?
- Do you smoke? If so, how many packs per day and for how many years?
In addition to these questions, your sleep study may include a physical examination that measures your height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and neck collar circumference. Particular attention will be paid to your head and neck, looking at your nasal pharynx to make sure you don’t have a condition that could obstruct your upper airway. Some physical exams also focus on your cardiac, pulmonary, and neurologic condition.
Sleep Study in Sherman, Texas
Carrus Health performs sleep studies in private rooms at our Sleep Center, located at our main campus in Sherman, Texas, as well as in the comfort of patients’ homes.
Our in-lab sleep test is typically conducted overnight in an environment that is as inviting, spacious, and relaxing as possible. Each of our sleep center bedrooms is equipped with a big-screen TV, Wi-Fi service, a comfortable queen-size bed, extra oxygen, and a private bathroom.
Before you retire for the night, a sleep lab technician attaches sensors to your head and body that will record data from your body and brain. However, you will be able to move freely and feel comfortable. A sleep medicine doctor will then analyze the data and schedule an appointment with you to review the results and offer appropriate treatment recommendations.
If you are experiencing sleep disruptions, excessive daytime fatigue, or other symptoms of a sleep disorder, you owe it to yourself to get to the root of the problem by finding out how a sleep study can help. Speak with your doctor about undergoing a sleep study or, for more information, contact the Carrus Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Sherman, Texas, at (903) 870-2600.
