columbushosp.org 13 Need a sleep study? Ask your doctor for a referral to the CCH Sleep Lab. Read more about it at columbushosp.org/services/sleep-lab. arrive at the lab around 8 or 9 p.m. A technologist will greet you and explain your test, and then you’ll prepare to sleep in one of two comfortable rooms. “Our rooms are set up very much like hotel rooms,” Fuerhoff said. “Each one has its own queen-size, adjustable bed; television; and private bathroom.” Removable sensors may be placed on your scalp, face, chest, legs and one of your fingers. These sensors collect data about your brain waves, heart rhythm, muscle activity and breathing while you’re sleeping. You can bring items from home, such as your sleep clothes and a favorite pillow. The Sleep Lab staff will offer you fans or other comforts to re-create your home environment and help you feel relaxed. When it’s time to doze off, you can sleep in any position you want while a sleep tech in another room monitors your sleep data in real time. At about 6 a.m., the technologist will wake you up and remove the sensors, and you can shower at the Sleep Lab before you go about your day. Home sleep study. Home sleep studies are primarily for sleep apnea testing. If you are scheduled to have a home sleep test, the Sleep Lab staff will provide a test kit and show you how to use it. “You’ll come in for about a 15- to 20-minute appointment,” Fuerhoff said. “We’ll go through the test kit and show you each of the three different pieces you have to put on before you go to bed. It’s very simple, with easy-to-follow directions.” In general, you will place a cannula device in your nose to measure airflow, wear a chest belt to monitor your breathing and place a sensor on your finger to monitor your heart rate and oxygen levels. The next day, you’ll return the test kit to the Sleep Lab, and CCH staff members will download the data collected while you slept. Better sleep, better well-being A sleep medicine specialist will review your sleep study results and prescribe a treatment plan for any disorder you are diagnosed with. For instance, the main treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which keeps your airways open while you sleep. Lifestyle changes, like losing weight if you’re overweight, can often help, too. In some cases, a medical procedure may be an option. Specialists at CCH also offer Inspire therapy, which uses an implanted device instead of a CPAP mask to help prevent breathing pauses during sleep. Lab Signs of troubled sleep Possible signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder include: ● Excessive daytime tiredness. ● Loud snoring. ● Morning headaches. ● Gasping for air during sleep. ● Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. scan
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