Sleep Studies
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Sunit R Patel, M.D., F.C.C.P., D.A.B.S.M.
Pulmonary & Sleep Specialist located in Merced & Turlock, CA
Don’t let visions of spending the night in a hospital stop you from getting a sleep study. Most patients with sleep apnea can do the study in the comfort of their own homes. At his practice in Merced and Turlock, California, Sunit R. Patel, MD, specializes in evaluating your symptoms and determining if you need sleep studies. If you have symptoms like loud snoring or you often feel tired during the day, call or use the online booking system to get comprehensive care for your sleep problem.
Sleep Studies Q & A
What are sleep studies?
A sleep study, also called polysomnography, is a test to diagnose sleep disorders. The test may be done at home, at a sleep center, or a sleep disorders unit in your local hospital.
Though sleep studies are typically done at night, they can also be performed during the day if you work at night. Some specialized sleep tests are also routinely done during the day.
What disorders are diagnosed with sleep studies?
The only way to accurately diagnose most sleep disorders is with overnight sleep studies. The conditions frequently identified include:
- Sleep apnea
- Restless legs syndrome
- Narcolepsy
- Sleep paralysis
- Sleepwalking
- REM sleep behavior disorder
You may also need a sleep study if you have unexplained chronic insomnia.
When can I do a home sleep study?
Home sleep studies are done to diagnose sleep apnea. When you have a home sleep study, your doctor gives you the equipment you need and shows you how to use it.
Before going to sleep, you:
- Place a sensor over your finger to measure your oxygen levels
- Put an elastic band around your chest to measure your breathing effort
- Insert a nasal cannula in each nostril to measure airflow
- Connect these sensors to a small, lightweight monitor that you wear
As you sleep, the sensors send information to the monitor. Some monitors send the information to your doctor wirelessly. Your doctor must manually download the data from other devices.
Once the information is available, your doctor can determine how far oxygen levels fall when you stop breathing, your respiratory distress index, and your apnea hypopnea index (AHI). The AHI indicates how many times you stop breathing every hour, indicating the severity of sleep apnea.
When do I need a sleep study at a clinic?
When your provider suspects a sleep disorder other than sleep apnea, you need to have your sleep study done at a clinic. This is because they have the equipment to measure more than the information gathered during a home sleep study.
At a specialized sleep clinic like Sunit R. Patel, MD, the team can also track additional information needed to diagnose most sleep disorders, such as:
- Brain waves
- Leg movements
- Eye movements
- Chin muscle activity
- Heart rate and rhythm
You may also need to go to the office of Sunit R. Patel, MD, if you’re diagnosed with a heart problem, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or a neuromuscular disease.
To schedule an initial evaluation for sleep-related problems such as snoring and sleep apnea, call the office or book an appointment online today.
