Reasons to have a sleep study?
my therapist and family doctor want me to have a sleep study done during my winter break from school.. i’ve always had trouble sleeping but why should a sleep study be done
i did have depression, i keep going to my therapist to prevent any relapse. and my dad has sleep apnea is it genetic?
Tagged with: dad • depression • family doctor • relapse • sleep • sleep apnea • sleep study • trouble sleeping • winter break
Filed under: Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Usually the primary indication to get a sleep study is to rule out sleep apnea. this is where you stop breathing at night, and thus are unable to get a restful night sleep. People with this disease usually ((but not always) snore really loudly, tend to be of a more obese nature around the neck area, or have a lotta excess tissue in the tonsil and throat area. The primary reason to treat it is that this desease makes people really tired during the day, because they dont get enough sleep. Rarely, can lead to pulmonary hypertension, a serious heart lung disease. Treatment for this includes weight loss, possibly surgery, but most people have to use a breathing machine at night called a cpap machine which keeps the airways open so you can breathe while you sleep.
I’ve had a sleep done and it was rather interesting. They take a full set of vital signs, and then attach wires all over your head and some on your face, wrap some stretchy cords about your chest and abdomen and there are also some wires on your legs. What the wires on the head do is monitor what is going on in the brain, they can tell if you are awake, starting to fall asleep or actually asleep. The wires on the face monitor eye movements, grimacing and teeth clenching. The wired on the legs monitor for leg twitching and kicking. The cords around the chest monitor respirations. They put you in a nice comfy bed, turn the lights out and leave you alone in the room. If after a while you can’t get to sleep they will give you a pill to help you. When you wake up in the morning, the doctor will have looked at the computer recordings of your nights sleep and get a good idea of what your problem is and then discuss options with you. I’ve had two studies done, the first verified that I have severe sleep apnea (I quit breathing in my sleep and was only sleeping for about 2 minutes at a time). The second study I got to use a machine that keeps enough pressure in my airways to keep them open so I don’t quit breathing. It was weird at first but I stuck with it and now the mask on my face doesn’t bother me at all. My partner has also commented that I don’t snore at all anymore! Nothing is ever done that hurts you or causes any pain, so go and look at it as a learning experience.
If you’re seeing a therapist, I’m assuming you may suffer from depression…but that’s just a guess. Here’s some information that may help you figure out why you’ve been asked to have a sleep study.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-studies