What are the different types of a sleep studies?

Posted by Marry Grover on October 21st, 2022

If you face sleep troubles and have visited your doctor, you might have been suggested to undergo a sleep study. You might be wondering what is a sleep study and what to expect. In simple words, a sleep study can be understood as a test that helps diagnose sleep-related disorders. Through it, you can find if you have problems like narcolepsy, periodic limb movement disorder, REM sleep disorder behaviour, restless legs syndrome, or insomnia. Your doctor will gather evidence to identify that problem keeping you from getting a restful night of sleep. To know more about a sleep study and its types, read further!

What is a sleep study?

Basically a type of non-invasive treatment, a sleep study is an overnight exam in which the doctors observe what is going on in your brain and body. For undertaking the exam, one needs to go to a sleep lab. Here, an EEG monitor overlooks your sleep stages and cycles of REM and non-REM to point at the possible causes of sleep disruptions. The sleep study also records information on things like oxygen levels in your blood, eye movement, snoring, and heart and breathing rates.

What are the different types of a sleep studies?

In a sleep study, information is gathered on what happens in your body while you are resting. Here are different types of studies that are conducted to collect this information-

Polysomnography- Here, a sleep technician is made to monitor the individual admitted to a specialized clinic. During the study, the functions measured through the night include eye movements, brain and muscle activity, blood oxygen levels, body positioning and movements, snoring, respiratory effort, airflow, and heart rate.

Home Sleep Apnea Testing- Although this study provides less data when compared with the polysomnography test, it is particularly of use for patients suspecting they have sleep apnea. The home sleep test can be easily taken from the comfort of your home and offers data about a patient’s breathing, heart rate, and other vital variables.

Multiple sleep latency test- This study helps measure how quickly you can fall asleep and enter the REM sleep stage during daytime naps. It is primarily used for diagnosing individuals who feel excessively sleepy during the day to know if they are suffering from narcolepsy or an unknown cause.

CPAP titration- Continuous positive airway pressure machine is basically used to treat patients with sleep apnea. A CPAP titration test is conducted to determine the amount of air pressure you will need from your CPAP machine to successfully manage your condition. The test usually requires a second sleep study. For patients who are strongly suspecting sleep apnea, a split-night sleep study is also an option.

So, a sleep study is used to diagnose any problems you might face while resting. In the study, your sleep behaviour is observed to reach a conclusion.