So you think you have a sleep disorder? Here’s a quick primer on some of the common sleep tests.
The most common types of sleep disorders are snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias -sleep walking/talking, grinding of teeth (bruxism), nightmares, Restless legs syndrome, Periodic Leg Movement Disorder and Insomnia. Your physician may request a sleep test if indicated to aid in the diagnosis. A sleep test – polysomnogram is a study which monitors multiple physiological variables utilizing non-invasive methods to record the signals and responses sent from the brain to the body and vice-versa.
Examples of some of the common procedures performed during a sleep test are an EEG for brain activity, EOG for eye movements, EMG for muscular activities, and ECG for heart activity. Sleep studies to monitor respiratory functions can be done either in a sleep lab under supervision of a technician or at the patient’s home-unattended. The data collected during these tests is collated by sleep technologists and analysed by doctors who then determine the identify the disorder, quantify the severity and accordingly design the treatment plan
The purpose of sleep test is to;
Some of the common sleep tests are Polysomnogram (PSG), Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MLST), CPAP, Split Night Study, and Maintenance of Wakefulness (MWT). Depending on the type of disorder, doctors usually advise a specific sleep test for example;
Sleep disorder not only disrupts the life of the victim but also of their partner and loved ones. There is increasing awareness of sleep health risk factors and the impact on physical quality of life, co-morbidities and consequences of untreated sleep disorders.
Increasingly individuals as well as the medical fraternity have realized the significance of sleep disorders. Sleep tests aid in diagnosis and help improve sleep quality.
Sleep Term of the Week
