Having Trouble Sleeping?

What Is a Sleep Study?

Do you often have problems sleeping? Do you feel tired most days of the week? A sleep study can help diagnose a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy. During the study, a special machine is used to monitor your sleep.

Who Needs a Sleep Study?

If you have sleep problems that last longer than a few weeks, you may need a sleep study. You will need to provide information about your health history. Try to keep a daily sleep diary for a week or two. Write down the time you go to bed, the time you wake up, and anything else that seems to affect your sleep.

What Can a Sleep Study Show?

A sleep study monitors all the stages of your sleep. To do this, the following are recorded:

Eye movements
Heart rate, brain waves, and muscle activity
The level of oxygen in your blood
Breathing and snoring
Sudden leg or body movements

If you have breathing problems, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) may be used. CPAP is a device that can help you breathe and improve your sleep. It may be used during the second half of your study or on another night. The study will show if CPAP works for you.