What a Sleep Study Can Reveal
From Florida Hospital Apopka
Sleep: we can't live without it. So then why is it that millions of Americans get so little of it?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately one in three Americans don't get enough sleep. Studies about sleep and your health have shown that dozens of serious health problems stem from insufficient sleep, including depression, weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Combine these statistics and you have the makings of a health crisis - something many doctors and scientists have warned us about for years.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be exploring a range of topics on sleep and your health, with help from the Florida Hospital Center for Sleep Disorders. To kick things off, we're answering the FAQs of sleep studies - what they can reveal, what to expect and how they can help you sleep like your life depends on it (hint: it does).
Officially termed a polysomnography, sleep studies identify and diagnose disruptions in your sleep patterns.
Dr. Karen Baker breaks it down, "A sleep study allows us to evaluate the patients overall sleep health. Usually, the test is used to diagnose sleep apnea. The test is done in the evening and conducted by a sleep technologist. During the test, your brain activity, eye movements, oxygen levels, body movement and more will be studied."
Sleep studies typically require an overnight stay at one of our sleep centers. As the patient sleeps, a range of functions are monitored, including heart rate, eye movements, breathing patterns and oxygen levels in the blood.
Once the study is complete, our multidisciplinary team analyzes the results to make a diagnosis and recommend a personalized treatment plan.
A range of disorders may be discovered over the course of a sleep study. These include REM sleep behavior disorder, periodic limb movement disorder, insomnia and delayed sleep phase syndrome.
But by far the most serious disorder that doctors look for is obstructive sleep apnea. This common, potentially deadly disorder blocks your airway as you sleep, causing you to stop breathing for short periods throughout the night. We'll be taking an in-depth look at sleep apnea in an upcoming blog.
When caught, all of these sleep disorders can be treated, paving the way for improved sleep and better overall health.
There are many good reasons to undergo a sleep study, but let's start with the most serious. Left untreated, sleep disorders can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, depression, hypertension and diabetes. In many cases, a sleep study is the only way to properly diagnose certain disorders.
Treating your underlying sleep disorder can help you regain your quality of life, too. For sufferers of chronic disorders like sleep apnea, it's common to feel "tired of being tired." Getting the treatment you need can restore your energy, vitality and spirit.
Typically, you'll be asked to arrive two hours before bedtime to get checked in and situated in the room.
Patients can bring their own pajamas if they like, as well as toiletries and other items from home that will make them comfortable and help them get to sleep. Once they're changed for bed, sensors are placed around the head and body so that the team can monitor various functions as they sleep.
Florida Hospital has six sleep centers in the Orlando area.
This is a very common worry, but one that's usually unfounded.
We all have trouble sleeping from time to time, but sleep disorders may cause consistent problems that interfere with your daily life. Ask yourself the following questions:
Do you have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep?
Do you have a history of snoring, or have you ever been told that you stop breathing or gasp for air while sleeping?
Have you experienced tingling, itching, aching and other unusual sensations in your legs at night, or do you have an urge to walk, kick or move your legs for relief?
Are you sleepy or drowsy during the day, and have you felt that fatigue consistently for more than two weeks?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, it's probably a good idea for you to talk to your doctor about your sleep and if a sleep study is right for you.
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