Questions about Sleep Studies

What is a sleep study?

A sleep study is an all-night study designed to provide vital information about your sleeping health by monitoring various signals from your body. These signals include brain-waves, heart activity, muscle activity, eye movements, breathing patterns and oxygen levels. The signals are obtained from small sensors attached to your scalp, face and body. No needles are used and you will not experience any unusual discomfort.

Why are sleep studies important?

Sleep studies enable physicians to evaluate conditions which occur only during sleep and are non-detectable during a regular office exam. Sleep studies help to identify causes of various sleep-related health disorders and to plan for effective treatment.

What is the procedure during a sleep study?

It will take a Sleep Technologist about 90 minutes to attach small sensors to your head, chest, stomach and legs. During the night, you will be monitored and attended by the technologist from an adjoining room.

What is the procedure after a sleep study?

Depending on the results of your sleep study, you may receive treatment instructions before you go home. You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment to discuss further treatment options and to review the results of your sleep study with Dr. Panossian.

NOTE: If you are traveling with family members, you will need to arrange for their lodging if they are staying in town during the night of the sleep study. Please realize that the sleep lab is a smoke free facility.