Undiagnosed sleep disorders can impact heart health, overall wellness, and quality of life. Syracuse Area Health is accredited through the American Association for Sleep Medicine (AASM) and partners with Rural Sleep Solutions to provide both in-lab and at-home sleep testing services.
Sleep study: what to expect
What do providers look for during a sleep study?
As patients sleep, providers and technologists track brain activity to help diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders including sleep apnea, a very serious disorder that where breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Once diagnosed, providers can treat patients to ease symptoms and help prevent serious complications—like heart problems.
What equipment is used in an in-lab sleep study?
Technicians apply small sensors to the head and body with adhesive. Wires that connect sensors to a computer are gathered with plenty of slack so patients can comfortably sleep and move. In some studies, elastic belts are wrapped around the chest and abdomen to measure breathing and a clip may be placed on an earlobe or finger to monitor oxygen levels in the blood.
What happens after a sleep study?
A sleep study produces hundreds of pages of information about patients’ sleep cycles. Results and data collected provide important details that specialists analyze and share with providers to diagnose and treat sleeping disorders or help patients get the rest they need.
What to bring to your sleep study
Patients should bring the same items (toiletries, etc.) that they’d need for a typical overnight stay at a hotel including:
- Comfortable pajamas
- Change of clothes for the morning
- Your own pillow if needed
If you have any questions before your sleep test, call the SAH Cardiopulmonary Office at 402-269-7638.
What happens at an at-home sleep study?
An at-home sleep apnea test is used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and as the name suggests, is done right in the comfort of your home. Patients are given a variety of devices and instructed on where to place them on their bodies before going to sleep. The equipment can then collect information about a patient’s breathing, heart rate and oxygen levels while they are sleeping.
Completing an at-home sleep apnea test is a simple process when you take the time to understand what is needed and how it works. The Syracuse Area Health sleep study team will provide thorough instructions on how—and where—to apply the equipment. The following morning, return the at-home sleep test device, which will be downloaded, processed and interpreted by a sleep physician.
If you have any questions about an at-home sleep study, talk to your provider or call the SAH Cardiopulmonary Department at 402-269-7638.