THE SLEEP DISORDERS CENTER
at CMMC
What
Happens During a Sleep Evaluation?
You
will spend one night sleeping in a private room with a comfortable bed, TV,
nightlight, bathroom and shower facilities.
Some people may need to stay two non-consecutive nights, but typically,
you will arrive in the evening and leave the following morning; it is usually
not necessary to miss a day of work or school.
A
sleep study at The Sleep Disorders Center at Central Mississippi Medical Center
is a comprehensive, safe and painless procedure that measures brain activity,
eye movement, heart rate, pulse, blood oxygen levels, snoring, breathing and
airflow, and body movements while you sleep.
Highly skilled and trained specialists monitor your data throughout the
night. The data is then reviewed by a
physician and the results are provided to you and your physician in a timely
manner.
Patient Information for Sleep Studies
What
is a polysomnogram?
A
polysomnogram is a procedure which measures bodily functions during sleep. Each
study will vary depending on the individual case and some of the measurements
taken may include:
- Brain Waves (Electrodes placed on the scalp)
- Heart Beats (Electrodes placed on the chest)
- Eye Movements (Electrodes placed above and
below the eyes)
- Muscle Tension ( Electrodes placed on the
chin)
- Leg Movements (Electrodes placed on the lower
leg)
- Airflow Breathing (Sensor placed underneath
the nose)
- Chest and Abdominal Breathing (Sensors placed
around the chest and abdomen outside of your pajamas)
- Blood Oxygen Levels (a small sensor attached
/ taped to your finger)
Why
record all these things?
During
sleep, the body functions are different than while awake. Disrupted sleep can disturb daytime activities
and sometimes medical problems during sleep involve a risk to basic health.
How
can I sleep with all these things on me?
Surprisingly,
most people sleep reasonably well. We
are only looking to obtain a sample of your sleep. The body sensors are applied so that you can
turn and move during sleep. None of the
electrodes break the skin. The entire
procedure is painless. Our staff will
try to make your sleeping environment as comfortable as possible.
Will
the sensor devices hurt?
No.
Sometimes, in rubbing the skin or putting on the electrodes, there are mild and
/ or temporary skin irritations. You may
also feel a sensation of warmth where the oxygen-measuring device contacts the
skin of your finger. However, these do
not generally cause any significant discomfort.
Will I be given a drug in the sleep lab to help
me sleep?
IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT
STOP ANY OF YOUR MEDICATIONS WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING YOUR PERSONAL
PHYSICIAN.
Your
doctor may instruct you to stop taking certain medications before coming for
the test. It is also important not to
consume any alcohol or caffeinated beverages on the day of the testing.
Technologists
do not have sleeping aids available.
What
should I bring?
Checklist
of items to bring to the sleep lab:
-
Bring comfortable sleepwear, preferably not
silk. Something that is two-piece is
best or something that buttons down the front.
If you do not ordinarily wear a top to sleep in you should bring one
because it helps to keep the monitoring equipment in place. A t-shirt is fine.
-
A robe and slippers.
-
Toiletries, such as a comb, hairbrush,
shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and shaving materials. Toiletries will be
furnished if you forget any.
-
Favorite pillow or blanket, if desired.
-
Reading material but a TV is also available
for your use.
-
Clothes for the next day.
-
Completed questionnaire, driver’s license,
and insurance information.
-
Medications.
-
CPAP
machine and mask if currently using therapy.
What
happens after the polysomnogram?
Proper
interpretation of sleep studies takes a considerable amount of time. Over the course of the evening, approximately
900 pages of data are generated for analysis.
A qualified sleep technologist will score your test data, and a
designated Sleep Center physician with expertise in clinical sleep physiology
will interpret the results. The results
will be forwarded to your physician two to three weeks after the study date.
Technologists
will not have test results after test is complete.
Test Instructions
-
Hair
/ Body – Wash and dry your hair prior to coming but do not
apply any conditioners, sprays, oils or gels to your hair. Also, we advise that you do not apply any
lotions, oils or make-up to skin.
-
Food –
Eat a good meal prior to (PSG), but avoid food that would cause heart burn or
acid indigestion. No chocolate.
-
Drink –
No alcohol or caffeinated beverages within 12 hours of your test because they
affect test results.
-
Medication – (A) Bring all medications to the lab. We do not
dispense medications. (B) Please do not stop any medication without
first consulting your personal physician. (C) We prefer you to be off sleeping medications for at least 8 days prior to this sleep study.
Please check with your doctor.
-
We will provide towels, shower and toilet
facilities.
-
Nail polish or acrylics may affect test. We ask that patients wearing these come to
the lab with at least one nail free and clean in order to monitor accurately.
-
DO
NOT NAP the day of your study!
MSLT Test Instructions
The
MSLT study usually follows the overnight PSG study. This daytime study takes up to an additional
8-10 hours. Thus your stay in the sleep lab for the combined PSG and MSLT may
last up to 21 hours. You will have to
bring your own supply of medication. You may request to order takeout food from
the Central Mississippi Medical Center cafeteria for the daytime study.
Download
INFORMATION, TEST PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS & QUESTIONNAIRE FOR
POLYSOMNOGRAM STUDY.