What To Expect Before a Sleep Study
Before a sleep study, your doctor may ask you about
your sleep habits and whether you feel well rested and alert during the day.
You may be asked to keep a sleep diary or sleep log.
You will record information such as when you went to bed, when you woke up, how
many times you woke up during the night, and more. You can find an example of a
sleep diary in
"Your
Guide to Healthy Sleep."
What To Bring With You
Depending on what type of sleep study you're having,
you may need to bring:
- Notes from your sleep diary or sleep log. These
may be helpful to your doctor.
- Pajamas and a toothbrush for overnight sleep
studies.
- A comfortable pillow.
- A book or something to do between testing periods
if you're having a multiple sleep latency test or a maintenance of wakefulness
test (MWT).
How To Prepare
You may need to stop or limit the use of tobacco,
caffeine, and stimulants before having a sleep study. Your doctor may ask you
about alcohol, medicines, or other substances that you take and about allergies
that you have.
You may routinely take medicine that affects your
sleep patterns. If so, a sleep specialist will help you plan how to take it
during and possibly before the test.
You should try to sleep well the night before you
have an MWT, because you will have to try to stay awake during this test. If
you're being tested as a requirement for a transportation- or safety-related
job, you may be asked to take a drug-screening test. |