With the recent release of new diagnostic criteria for sleep
apnea, doctors at the American College of Physicians are reaffirming the
importance of an overnight sleep study to find evidence of this potentially
fatal condition. Though there is an abundance of information on sleep
apnea on the Web and elsewhere, the best way to find out whether you suffer
from the disorder is an overnight sleep study.
A sleep study measures your quality of sleep and how your
body responds to changes while you rest. The study will take place overnight in
a lab outfitted with equipment used to monitor sleep patterns in patients who
might suffer from apnea or other sleep disorders.
Before you go to sleep, a technician will place special
sensors on your head, face, chest, and arms. While you sleep, the sensors will
measure bodily signs like:
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
- Blood oxygen level
- Activity in the brain, eyes, and muscles
Known medically as a polysomnogram, sleep studies are
painless. The doctors and technicians at the lab will try to make you as
comfortable as possible to get an accurate picture of symptoms you
might be experiencing.
If you regularly experience episodes of daytime sleepiness
or your spouse has complained about your chronic snoring, undergoing an
overnight sleep study could be the first step toward better health. Please contact a local sleep doctor
or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) for more information
on sleep apnea.