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Sleep Studies - What To Think About
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- Many health conditions can cause abnormal sleep. These include restless legs syndrome, obesity, heart or respiratory diseases, hypothyroidism, depression, and neuromuscular diseases (such as Parkinson's disease).
- A second polysomnogram may be needed if you were unable to sleep long enough for the test. Also, after your sleep problem has been identified, you may need a second study if your doctor orders treatment such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
- A split night study is another type of sleep study. During the first half of the night, you are checked for sleep apnea. During the second half of the night, your apnea is treated with breathing aids (such as CPAP) to open your blocked airway.
- Portable sleep study equipment is available for a person to do sleep studies at home. This may be a choice for people who have problems sleeping in a sleep lab. But home sleep studies may not give the same results as a sleep lab.
- In rare cases, a pH test may be done during a sleep study to see if there is reflux of stomach juices into the esophagus. For a pH test, a small wire is placed in the nose and guided to the lower part of the esophagus.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 9, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Mark A. Rasmus, MD - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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