Sleep Studies

Anyone ever have one done? How was it, any tips to make it easier? I was referred for one by my PCP a couple days ago so I have that coming up in the near future.

@XR171 I know there's been some discussion about sleep studies in the past that might be helpful:

https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=forum&ox=search&ssy=%22sleep+study%22&titleorbody=2&user%5B%5D=&maxage=&searchit=Search

@Rigel Thank you!

Do the home if possible. There's a small box with a couple leads, straps and a finger pulse oximeter. If you're a mobile sleeper you'll have to tone it down a bit, but otherwise not much impairment. At the end of the study you drop the box off, they read it and call you.

Do the home if possible. There's a small box with a couple leads, straps and a finger pulse oximeter. If you're a mobile sleeper you'll have to tone it down a bit, but otherwise not much impairment. At the end of the study you drop the box off, they read it and call you.

That sounds like it would be a more realistic measure of one’s sleep pattern. I doubt I would sleep very well in a lab/ office like setting. Same as when I travel,I don’t sleep as well in a strange bed!

She strongly recommended the in lab study, probably because I do stop breathing at night.

I would also recommend the home version. If they are testing you for sleep apnea either one should work.

I was in the sleep lab 2 times, once it was with a PCP mask because of finding the apnoe. If you don't want to sleep, you can just go there :-D In case of any details, just ask :-)

I had to use a device that measured frequency and size of overnight erections, sont know if that's the same thing. It was hard to get to sleep with it. It stepped between my legs and had these two wire loops that went around my penis, one at the base and one at the head. They would alternate tightening up throughout the night. Was quite annoying.

I did the at-home test. I believe it was a small item(size of a deck of cards) maybe taped to my chest. I think there was a wire to my hand, and maybe one to a head band? It was awhile ago and the details are now foggy. It was rather easy to self administer, and did not bother me for the night.

It turns out I do not have sleep apnea, so a simple bite guard dental appliance had helped me reduce my snoring. Wife says it is much better, not gone completely, but much better.

She strongly recommended the in lab study, probably because I do stop breathing at night.

Depends on the doctor. I have apnea but they did home test.

Do a home test.

I have done 3 at a sleep lap. First took 5mg of Xanax to get to sleep, slept 2 hours, no apnea. They also didn't have direction on monitoring erections so the tech put 2 bands on my penis, I got hard as she applied them and said I guess this isn't a problem. 10 years later 2 tests first slept for 1 hour, had to come back for a second to figure out the pressure for CPAP, there wasn't enough Xanax for the second test, literally slept 6 minutes. Finally at 5am I pressed the call button and said I going home get this crap off me.

They put so many sensors and wires on you I don't know how anyone can sleep. Then they want you to sleep on your back.

I was in Hershey Medical Center back in 1989 for a sleep study to see if the new statin drugs did anything to your brain during your sleep. i slept there a full month, you were wired up every night by a med. tech and the lights were out at 11 and on at 7. every morning you had to write down anything you might have dreamed about. we then got cleaned up and could go home or we had to have a blood draw before we left. the pay was very good or i would not have driven 58 miles every night. i am still on the drug that was tested on me.

It was easily 30 or more years ago that I was twice tested for S/A in a local hospital. First time was, I guess, a base line study. I was quite surprised at the test room. Even tho in a hospital the room was set up like a regular bedroom with a wooden twin sized bed and home styled furnishings. Only thing out of ordinary were all the wires from a dresser drawer which were hooked up to me. Despite all best efforts, little sleep came that evening. I just couldn't get comfortable. As I recall the results showed sleep apnea. For the second test a week or so later I prepped with several good drinks before dinner and a few beers after. When I rolled into the clinic I was ready for a good sleep with the sleep mask and all. Well....no! With wires again stuck all over me I tossed and turned most of the night. Results strongly indicated sleep apnea so I was awarded my first machine. Took me about a week to adjust to the mask and have been using it ever since. I sleep quite well, keep a sippy cup nearby for occasional dry mouth and miss it if I go a night without it. My two cents worth after all these years; if you need it, get one, work at using it cuz it's a lifesaver for everyone.

Spent a ton of time in sleep labs , so much so that that I did telephone customer support for a manufacturer of reference grade lab equipment . I am sleep disordered and it’s not uncommon for my sleep pathologist to call me and “check I am alright” it’s actually a pretext to call me and ask a question about how or why do we know X,Y or Z . Basically although he’s an expert on sleep , he learned it in school he considers it an honor to treat a patient who co authored the book he learned from because many patients are bad historians let alone can explain how we got the knowledge or what led to us thinking a certain way that caused a breakthrough in what we understand . I have a particularly good relationship with this Doctor , I had to “pull rank” to get an appointment , I had no idea I was talking to his secretary , she gave me his 1 st available appointment that was 3 years away and asked “how’s that “ I said it’s not good, she said “why there’s plenty of time to plan for it “ I said not when your dead , naturally she asked “why I would be dead “ I explained the circumstances to her and she moved heaven & earth to get me an appointment in 1 1/2 weeks , at that appointment the doctor asked what I did to make her cry ? I said I told her the truth and that truth was stranger than fiction ! I called to get the appointment from another hospital because my normal doctor didn’t take my advice and tried to “freestyle “ getting me to sleep , instead he caused a cardiac arrest and after that was completely gutless and would not treat my sleep disorders at all period , which if your trying to kill someone that’s a sure fire way of doing it . There is a Guinness world record that has been outlawed , last set in I want to say 1978 of 241.9 hours awake before the person died , my doctor has seen me shred that record but can’t tell me by what amount because it is considered a form of torture and is banned . I once got into an argument with a psychologist who said “that’s impossible” when I said I hadn’t slept in 2 weeks , I asked him why ? He said you’d be dead . I then said to him alright then I am either dead or fucking liar , which one am I , I want to know,right now , that psychologist has literaly never said another word to me because I want the answer , there is no discussion possible without it and with an answer he knows he has to admit I am alive , therefor he called me a liar . Sleep studies involve a shit ton of wires and electrodes and probes , many sleep disordered people can’t sleep at home add a strange bed and all the wires “they don’t have a prayer” . They have invented at an at home sleep study they wire you up to a briefcase and send you home to try and get data if you have something like sleep apnea they will try you on CPAP or BIPAP . The most basic annoying part is them basicly using sand paper on your head to make sure the electrodes are glued down for near perfect contact, they also use continuous video recording ,you will be lit by light that’s outside the spectrum of what most humans eyes can perceive you will have to plan to go to bed around 9 pm right after they wire you up and they will get you up around 6 AM if your sleeping when the test is complete .some labs I have been to are more like a 5 star hotel suite and some are very basic , nothing to be scared off , I always reccomend people get there hair cut realy short makes getting wired up easier and less time consuming especially after the test when your trying to wash thecglue out .

For apnea they don't need to do the head electrodes (now at least), those are done for EEG/seizures. The recent ones I have heard of have been a small box on your sternum or even just a box on your wrist with a couple of lines to sensors, including a finger pulse oximeter and one or more chest lines.

Do a home test.

I have done 3 at a sleep lap. First took 5mg of Xanax to get to sleep, slept 2 hours, no apnea. They also didn't have direction on monitoring erections so the tech put 2 bands on my penis, I got hard as she applied them and said I guess this isn't a problem.

@ggheat

Wow this sounds very interesting, i have never heard of penile monitoring in a sleep study. The sensors on the penis were connected to a rigiscan? Or a different device?

@ggheat

Wow this sounds very interesting, i have never heard of penile monitoring in a sleep study. The sensors on the penis were connected to a rigiscan? Or a different device?

@ekgbob20 they were just like a paper band that would break when you got erect to indicate you had the erection.

I did the test in the sleep lab. It's a lousy night of sleep, but they collected enough data to assess my sleep apnea. Get treated and sleep better. You'll be happier and live a lot longer.

Had two studies done at lab. The first over 20 years ago was a mess. Could not tolerate the equipment (which was a bit primitive back then). At first my apnea could be controlled just by side sleeping but it got worse. I finally was able to use CPAP following the second sleep study. Now on bipap. The home studies are a lot more comfortable since you sleep in your own bed.

My sub is getting started on the possiblity of getting one of these done, with a visit with a doctor in the department. Not sure what they will suggest...a home or a lab study. He'll grumble about the lab even if it will help with his sleep and improving his health. *Sigh

@MissStress I ended up doing the home version and it was easy. I wore a ring for three nights when I slept and it recorded my O2 and other factors. It could tell when I woke up too. Very non-invasive and easy.

I have a follow up in June, from there they'll look and see if they need an overnight study at the lab.