What is a sleep study?
This test charts your brain waves, heartbeat, and breathing as you sleep. It also records your eye and leg movements as well as muscle tension. Sensors are placed on your head, face, chest and legs and they send tiny electrical signals to a computer.

The signals show when you are asleep and awake during the night. The brain wave and eye-movement detectors show when you are in REM sleep. This stands for rapid eye movement sleep. This is a stage of sleep where your eyes twitch and your brain waves are very active. It is also the stage of sleep when you have most of your dreams.

The breathing monitors show the number of times you stop breathing. They can also detect low airflow and minor changes in oxygen level.

The leg sensors show both minor twitches and major movements that occur during the night.
A clip will also be placed on your finger to note changes in the level of oxygen in your blood. The clip monitors the color of your blood. As blood loses oxygen, it turns from red to blue.

Who gets a sleep study?
A polysomnogram is often used in the following cases:

• to look for sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea
• to set the correct levels of positive airway pressure (PAP) in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders
• to go along with a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) to see if someone has narcolepsy
• to look for certain parasomnias, sleep related behaviors that can be violent or could be harmful to the patient or others

You might also have a sleep study if you are already being treated for a sleep disorder but you are not getting better. The sleep study can help your doctor see why the treatment is not working.

What happens during a sleep study?
Your sleep physician may recommend that you have a polysomnogram, commonly called a sleep study. Georgetown Sleep Center is committed to ensuring both your comfort and personal safety during your sleep study. The Sleep Center is located in a quiet neighborhood on 4 lovely acres, with ample, well lit parking.

You will be asked to come to the Sleep Center in the evening. On arrival, you will be immediately greeted by one of our friendly and professional sleep technologists. You will be escorted to your beautiful, custom designed bedroom suite, where every detail has been considered for a caring, confidential, and comfortable environment. Your personal sleep tech will explain every detail of your study. You will be free to read or watch cable TV before you fall asleep. Many patients feel that they sleep even more soundly than at home. There will be as few interruptions as possible during the recording of your sleep with the latest, most advanced technology. While you sleep, some of the data monitored will be brain waves, oxygen levels, eye movements, and breathing.

In the morning you will be awakened by 6am. You will then be able to return to your normal daily activities. You will return to the Sleep Center on another appointment day where your sleep physician will meet with you and go over the video of your entire night, along with diagnosis and recommended treatment.

<< Return to Services