SLEEP STUDIES

The Process of Sleep Studies

During a sleep study, you will spend a night at The Chattanooga Sleep Center, where your sleep will be monitored by a team of sleep technologists. The surroundings at the center are designed to be homey and comfortable, mimicking the atmosphere of your bedroom. Each room is equipped with a full-size bed, a flat-screen television, and a private bath, allowing you to feel at ease and relaxed.

The technical equipment required to monitor your sleep will be in a separate room from your sleeping quarters. The sleep technologists will apply sensors and electrodes to your body to record various physiological activities. These sensors are painless and non-invasive, and they simply capture the data necessary for sleep specialists to assess your sleep patterns accurately.

During the sleep study, the following parameters may be monitored:

1. Electroencephalography (EEG): Electrodes placed on your scalp measure brain wave activity, helping to identify different stages of sleep and detect abnormal patterns.

2. Electrooculography (EOG): Small electrodes placed near your eyes track eye movements, which are essential in determining the different sleep stages, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

3. Electromyography (EMG): Electrodes placed on your chin and limbs record muscle activity, detecting muscle tone changes during sleep and assessing for disorders such as periodic limb movement disorder.

4. Respiratory monitoring: Sensors placed near your nose and mouth, along with bands around your chest and abdomen, measure airflow, respiratory effort, and snoring intensity. This helps identify breathing abnormalities, such as sleep apnea.

5. Oxygen saturation: A small clip attached to your finger measures the level of oxygen in your blood, providing information about your breathing and potential oxygen desaturation during sleep.

Benefits of Sleep Studies

Sleep studies offer numerous benefits for evaluating and diagnosing sleep disorders, including:

1. Accurate diagnosis: Sleep studies provide objective data about your sleep patterns, allowing sleep specialists to accurately diagnose sleep disorders and identify their underlying causes.

2. Individualized treatment plans: The data obtained from sleep studies helps sleep specialists develop personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific sleep needs and conditions.

3. Monitoring treatment effectiveness: Sleep studies can be conducted after initiating treatment to assess its effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments to ensure optimal outcomes.

4. Improved sleep health: By diagnosing and treating sleep disorders, sleep studies can significantly improve sleep quality, leading to enhanced overall health, well-being, and quality of life.