Cost of sleep study by state

What is a sleep study?

A polysomnography (PSG), or sleep study, is a diagnostic test used to determine if someone is suffering from a sleep disorder. It is also used to track improvements in people who have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder and are undergoing a treatment plan.

Typically performed at night, a sleep study uses sensors to monitor your sleep patterns, specifically your REM and NREM cycles, to determine where sleep disruption is occurring and diagnose the problem.

What are the indications for sleep study?

Your doctor may advise you to undergo a sleep study if you experience any of the following:

●  Fatigue during the day despite sleeping the previous night

●  Loud or excessive snoring

●  Frequent episodes of waking up in the middle of the night

●  Sleep apnea (holding your breath while sleeping followed by gasping for air)

●  Restless sleep

●  Walking or excessively moving around while you sleep

How is a sleep study performed?

In most cases, the sleep study technician attaches sensors to your temples, chest, legs, and scalp. The sensors monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, eye movements, brain waves, breathing patterns, limb movement, snoring, and body position. Additionally, a pulse oximeter is placed on your finger or ear to monitor your blood oxygen level.

Who performs a sleep study?

A sleep study is performed by a doctor or polysomnography technician, typically at a sleep center or within the sleep disorder unit at a hospital.

Is a sleep study an EEG?

A sleep study is not an electroencephalogram (EEG); however, a sleep test uses an EEG as one of its monitoring components. An EEG is a diagnostic test that measures brain wave activity, which is why it is used for sleep studies and studies on epilepsy. In addition to EEG monitoring, sleep studies use a multitude of tests to diagnose a sleep disorder.

What are the components of a sleep study?

Sleep studies have the following components:

●  Electrocardiogram (ECG)

●  Electroencephalogram (EEG)

●  Electromyography (EMG)

●  Electrooculogram (EOG)

●  Movement in the chest and abdomen

●  The pressure of the airflow in the nasal and oral cavities

●  Blood oxygen levels

●  Levels of CO2 in the skin

How many hours of sleep do you need for a sleep study?

Generally, three to four hours of sleep are required to gather enough data for the test results to be helpful. Sleep tests provide you with a hotel-like room for an entire eight-hour period, so most people get enough sleep during the test to obtain actionable results.