Sleep Center

Sleep studies are tests that collect information on various aspects of how well you sleep, and how your body responds if you are having sleep problems. Sleep specialists use the results to diagnose any sleep disorder(s) you may be experiencing, assess the severity of your condition, and determine appropriate treatment options.

Sleep studies are an important part of the assessment process because people are not usually aware of how they’re breathing and moving while they’re asleep. Its important to diagnose and treat sleep problems because untreated sleep disorders have been associated with increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other medical conditions, as well as increased risk of falls and car accidents.

Sleep studies are helpful in diagnosing:

• sleep apnea, or sleep-related breathing disorders,

• seizure disorders during sleep,

• restless leg syndrome and other sleep-related periodic limb movements,

• sleep disorders such as narcolepsy that can cause extreme tiredness during the day.

After an initial consultation with our sleep specialist or your physician, you may be referred for a sleep study. The medical term for this study is “polysomnogram,” which is a noninvasive, pain-free procedure that requires spending a night in the sleep center. During a polysomnogram, a sleep technologist records multiple biological functions during sleep, such as brain wave activity, eye movement, muscle tone, heart rhythm and breathing via electrodes and monitors placed on the head, chest and legs.

After a full night’s sleep is recorded, the data will be tabulated by a technologist and presented to a sleep physician for interpretation. Depending on your physician’s orders, you may be given therapy during the course of the study, which may include oxygen or a device called continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP).

Parkway SleepHealth Centers wants you to feel as comfortable as possible during your sleep study. We combine the latest diagnostic technology with the highest level of care to ensure a successful outcome for you.