Sleep Study
Polysomnography, known as a sleep studySleep Study
Polysomnography, known as a sleep study
Polysomnography, known as a sleep study, is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography records your brain waves, the oxygen level in your blood, and your heart rate and breathing during sleep. It also measures eye and leg movements.
A sleep study may be done at a sleep disorders unit within a hospital or at a sleep center. The test is usually performed at night. But it may be done during the day for shift workers who usually sleep in the daytime.
In addition to diagnosis, a sleep study might help determine a treatment plan if you've been diagnosed with a sleep disorder. It also might be used to adjust your treatment. Sometimes you may be able to do the sleep study at home. Home sleep apnea tests are used to help diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.
If you're doing a sleep study from home, there are different types of devices that may be used. Each device uses a different combination of sensors. Home sleep apnea tests generally record your breathing rate and airflow, as well as oxygen levels and heart rate. One style also includes information on blood vessels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need EEG?There are many different reasons why we may need to measure the electrical activity in our brains. Some of them include Clinical treatment and diagnosis of many common and debilitating brain disorders such as epilepsy, autism, Parkinson's disease, chronic pain, and depression, which have been correlated with changes in EEG activity. The ability to detect EEG activity has been combined with real-time feedback, allowing subjects to learn how to control their brain states voluntarily. This technique has been used in a variety of applications, including relaxation training and skill acquisition. EEG signals can be used to detect patterns of electrical activity linked to different thoughts or intentions.
"Electroencephalography (EEG) records electrical activity along the scalp. It measures voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current within the neurons of the brain." In a conventional EEG, electrodes are placed along the scalp to measure this electrical activity using an electroencephalogram machine. The recorded signal is very similar to that of a baby monitor. The signal is transmitted to an electroencephalograph machine, which records the data on paper or a digital screen.