Your Sleep Study
Listed below are the things needed to be done in preparation for your sleep study and what to expect during your appointment.
To Prepare for Your Sleep Study
- Don't take a nap on the day of the test.
- Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea or cola) after breakfast.
- Wash and dry your hair, and do not apply hair sprays, oils or gels.
- Remove any nail polish from your index finger.
- You must bring bed clothes (preferably two-piece pajamas) to wear during your sleep tests.
- Bring something to read or to work on during non-sleep periods. You may bring a favorite video to view in your room prior to bedtime.
- Bring personal toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, brush, shampoo and hairdryer) and a change of clothes for the next day. The Sleep Clinic provides towels and bedding, and there are toilet and shower facilities available.
- Bring all of your medications. Please bring a list of medications you have taken during the past month.
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On the Day of Your Sleep Study
A technologist will greet you at your appointment time and show you to your bedroom. You will have time to change into nightclothes and get ready for bed as you do at home.
- In preparation for the test, special sensors are placed on your scalp, forehead, chin, temples, chest, ankle and index finger. An airflow sensor is also placed under the nose. This will take approximately one hour.
- You may listen to a music player with earphones, or read a book prior to lights out. You may go to sleep at your normal bedtime within the constraints of the sleep clinic protocol.
- While you are sleeping, a polysomnographic technologist will record various important body functions and measurements from a nearby room.
- We typically awake patients between 5:30 and 6 a.m. unless you request an earlier wake-up time. Please keep in mind that the equipment takes 15 minutes to remove.
- Inform the technician during check in if you would like to take a shower in the morning. The technician will wake you up in time to allow for this.
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