A sleep study is performed to look at the quality of your sleep. If there is a problem with your sleep, your sleep study should be able to help determine if there is an underlying sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea or periodic limb movement.
A sleep study involves sleeping while monitored. We monitor:
- EEG or brain waves to see if you are asleep, awake or what stage of sleep you are in
- ECG to see your heart rate and if your heart rhythm is normal at night
- EMG or muscle tone
- Airflow of breathing
- Movements of chest and abdomen with breathing
- Sound of breathing to see if you are snoring
- Oxygen levels
- Body position
- Legs to see if you are kicking your legs while asleep
And then you are expected to sleep with all those wires!
Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Although, most people do not get their best sleep, they usually always get enough sleep to know if your sleep is normal or if there is a problem. So don’t worry if you do not think you are sleeping well. Most people sleep more than they think they did.
Sleep studies can occur in the hospital sleep laboratory or at home.
Hospital sleep studies
These are the best and most accurate form of sleep study. You come into the hospital sleep unit and the staff will place the monitoring wires on your skin. You will have your own room, ensuite bathroom and TV. So it is like sleeping in a nice hotel. The following morning, the wires are removed and you are able to have a shower. Some people like to go home afterwards, alternatively you are able to go straight to work.
Lung and Sleep performs hospital sleep studies at:
- Hospital to South Eastern Private and Maryvale Private
- Cabrini Brighton
- South Eastern Private
- Epworth Camberwell and Richmond
- Maryvale Private
- Monash Clayton and Dandenong
Home based sleep studies
For home based studies, you are required to go to one of our Sleep Life Balance locations to have the monitoring wires placed on your skin. They attach to a small monitoring device worn like a belt. You then go home to sleep in your own bed. You may also sleep in a hotel if you live a long distance from the place you are set up. The following morning, you are able to remove the monitoring wires and you are required to return the equipment to the same location as you were set up.
Home based sleep studies are performed through:
- Sleep Life Balance
- Set up locations are in Bentleigh, Morwell, Sale and Wonthaggi