Sleep Study - What is it?

What is a sleep study?

A sleep study is a process where physical measurements are taken while an individual is sleeping. A sleep study helps diagnose certain types of sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. After your sleep doctor gives you a proper diagnosis, he/she will then be able to provide the most effective treatment for your sleep disorder depending on its type and severity. Many times, sleep disorders can be cured just by a change in lifestyle (eating habits, exercise, lowering stress) but there are other times when medication or sleep equipment can be used to help cure a sleep disorder. Contact a sleep doctor in your area for more information about a sleep study and how it may help you sleep better.

Loud Snoring

Snoring can often be problematic to the spouse/bed partner. It is often worse when sleeping on the back. It does tend to get worse as we get older and also with weight gain. The greatest concern is that snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea. This is a sleep disorder that is associated with periods of no breathing at night, gasping for air, morning headaches, nasal congestion and not feeling rested in the mornings. Daytime fatigue and sleepiness are commonly a problem. Sleep apnea does increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can be managed with various treatment options. The most common options are CPAP (continous positive pressure therapy), oral appliance therapy and surgical options.

Sleep Eating

Any behavior that occurs while asleep is called a parasomnia. Sleep eating is one type of parasomnia. Eating in your sleep can occur due to various reasons. These reasons include medications, a lack of sleep, and jet lag. Other sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder can worsen sleep eating episodes. Sleep eating can be dangerous since the person may turn on the stove or injury themselves walking around the home.
Parasomnia behavior including sleep eating can be managed with life style changes, management of any other sleep disorder and medications.

Sleep Walking

Activites that occur while you sleep are called parasomnias. They can be very disruption to sleep quality and during these episodes dangerous activity can occur. Such as cooking or driving while asleep. There are various causes for parasomnias. A few of these are medications, lack of sleep and stress. Parasomnias can also run in the family. Treatment can often be very helpful. Both behavioral changes and medications are effective.

CPAP therapy

CPAP is the most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It works by sending air through the upper airway to keep the airway open throughout the night and is extremely effective in keeping the airway open and preventing snoring and apnea. It does take some time to get use to. With education and proper care it should be easy to use CPAP. Most people feel much more rested quickly; sometimes just one night of CPAP use can allow you to wake up feeling more rested and alert.

Sleep Apnea

It can often be difficult to recognize the symptoms of sleep apnea if you don't have a bed partner. Someone in bed with you can often see the most common symptoms. Symptoms like loud snoring, gasping for air, witnessed episodes where the person doesn't breathe for 10 or more seconds. The individual with sleep apnea will notice sore throat, nasal congestion, night sweats, dry mouth in the morning and feeling unrested even after getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep. You don't have to have all of these symptoms to have sleep apnea. Most importantly if you wake up and don't feel rested and have a history of snoring there is a good chance you may have sleep apnea.

If you think you may have sleep apnea or are experiencing symptoms, consider setting up a consultation with an sleep clinic in Austin.