What kind of research is this?
Polysomnography is a recording of your body's activity throughout a night of sleep. It simultaneously records breathing, blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, brain activity, body movements, and sleep stages.
This is the only method that shows what happens to a person at night. Surveys and daytime examinations do not see this, because sleep disorders only manifest themselves in sleep. At Forest, the study is conducted in a specially equipped sleep laboratory with stationary equipment.
When is it worth going?
- Snoring, especially if loved ones notice pauses in breathing
- Waking up with a feeling of suffocation or shortness of breath
- Tiredness in the morning after a full 7–8 hours of sleep
- Daytime drowsiness, falling asleep at the wheel
- Morning headache, dry mouth upon waking
- High blood pressure that is difficult to treat
- Suspected insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome
If your lack of sleep is due to work, stress, or a habit of going to bed at 2 a.m., the study won't add anything. In that case, start with doctor's consultation — he will assess the symptoms and tell you if there are any indications.
How is the night going?
In the evening. You arrive at the center and settle into the sleep lab. The evening routine is normal.
Before bed. A nurse attaches sensors to the scalp, face, chest, and legs. They are attached externally, the skin is not damaged, and there is no pain.
At night. You are sleeping. The devices record the readings continuously, and a video recording is being made at the same time — the doctor needs it to see your body position, because the frequency of breathing stops directly depends on it. You can get up at night.
In the morning. The nurse removes the sensors, you leave. The recording is sent for transcription, and you discuss the results with the doctor in a separate consultation.
How to prepare
No special preparation is required, and that's a given. The study should record your typical night, so live the day as you normally would: the same time you wake up, the same morning coffee. If you change your routine drastically for the sake of the study, the devices will record your reaction to these changes instead of your actual sleep. Take your medications as you normally would, just tell your doctor about them.
Can you sleep with sensors on? Yes. The sensors are lightweight and attach externally, they don't put pressure or restrict movement. The first night in a new place may be a little more restless, but that's enough for analysis.
Is video recording being done? Yes, and it is needed by the doctor: the body posture shows in which position breathing stops more often. The recording is used exclusively for medical analysis.
Do I need a referral? No, not necessarily.
What to do if apnea is detected? Most often this is CPAP therapy. The selection of the parameters of the device and mask is carried out in the same way, during one night in the sleep laboratory - Read more.
Can I undergo the test along with a check-up? Yes. Cardio checkup with sleep study takes place in one visit: daytime diagnostics, overnight in the laboratory, departure the next day.
What you get
- Protocol with all indicators for the night
- Apnea-hypopnea index is the main number used to determine the severity of the condition
- Doctor's conclusion and recommendations for further steps
- If apnea is detected, correction options include: selection of CPAP therapy
We discussed in the article how exactly the device is selected and what the choice of mode depends on. "CPAP Quest: Is it possible to choose a device for perfect sleep?".
Sign up for a consultation — we will determine whether you need a study.
