(225) 763-9900
PREPARE FOR YOUR SLEEP STUDY - The Spine Hospital Of Louisiana
Home » FOR PATIENTS » PREPARE FOR YOUR SLEEP STUDY
PREPARING FOR YOUR SLEEP STUDY
Congratulations on taking your first step towards getting to the root of your sleep disturbances. To get the best results out of your in-center sleep study, The Spine Hospital of Louisiana wants you to go about your normal afternoon routine as much as possible. However, there are certain things you can do to make the study go smoothly and ensure the most accurate results.
BEFORE YOUR STUDY
- Avoid taking naps in the afternoon.
- Refrain from drinking caffeinated drinks and eating chocolate.
- Shower and shampoo your hair. Avoid using hairspray, conditioners, hair oils, or body lotion as these may interfere with monitoring sensors.
- Enjoy your evening meal before arriving for your sleep study. Pack a snack if you normally need one before bedtime.
- Bring an overnight bag with comfortable sleep clothes and toiletry items.
- Take all routine medications as prescribed.
DURING YOUR STUDY
After arriving at the Sleep Center, the technologist will escort you to your room. Following the completion of the registration process, the technologist will ask you to change into your bedtime attire. Then small sensors will be placed upon your head and body. You will be monitored from a nearby control room. Should you have any requests (a glass of water, an extra pillow, or warm blanket) the technologist will be happy to accommodate you. It is our goal to make sure you are comfortable–you will able to relax and watch TV, use smart devices and/or read until the start of the study.
Once you fall asleep, the technologist will diagram your sleep architecture, determining what sleep stages are present while observing what happens as you sleep through the night:
- Blood oxygen level
- Respirations
- Body position
- Limb or body movements
- Heart rate
- Brain activity
AFTER YOUR STUDY
The recordings from both in-center and HST testing become data which will then be analyzed by Sleep Center physicians and licensed polysomnographic technologists. The sleep technologist can answer some of your questions about the sleep study, but only your physician can explain the results. We will send a comprehensive report of your results to your physician, so a follow-up visit with the physician who referred you to The Spine Hospital of Louisiana Sleep Center is required. Your physician will go over the results of your sleep study with you, and will discuss your treatment options. If you are diagnosed with a sleep disorder, the good news is, most sleep disturbances can be treated!
