We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping.
So it’s no wonder that when our sleep is disrupted or of poor quality, our health begins to suffer. In fact, sleep is so vital to our mental and physical health that ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for certain chronic health issues, including:
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Depression
When daytime sleepiness interferes with your normal activities, or your partner complains about your level of snoring, it may be time to check in with your doctor.
HOW TO GET A SLEEP STUDY IN UTAH
Our specialists at Tanner Clinic can schedule you for a sleep study at our sleep clinic in Utah. Our hours are Monday through Saturday evenings from 8 PM to 6 AM. To schedule your sleep study in Utah, or for more information on sleep studies and disorders, call us at (801) 773-4865.
WHAT IS A SLEEP STUDY?
A sleep study, or polysomnography, is a test that diagnoses sleep disorders through measurements of brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rates, and breathing. Your eye and leg movements may also be measured and recorded.
This test is done in a clinic during your normal sleeping hours. It is non-invasive and painless.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A SLEEP STUDY
You will be asked to arrive at a sleep center and stay overnight. If you are a shift worker and sleep during the day, your appointment will be scheduled during your normal sleep hours.
Bring your own nightclothes and items you use during your normal bedtime routine. A sleep study room is private and has its own private bathroom. You won’t be sharing the room with other patients.
You will be observed with a low-light video camera and audio system. When you get into your nightclothes, a technologist will place sensors on your head, temples, chest, and legs. A heart and oxygen monitor clip will be placed on your finger.
During the test, you may be asked to try wearing a PAP or CPAP (Positive Airway Pressure) machine to keep your airway passages open while you sleep.
You may be worried that you won’t get a full night of sleep during your sleep study, but this won’t affect the results of the test. You do not need a full 8 hours of sleep for your doctor to obtain accurate results. The information gathered during the time you do sleep will be used to diagnose your condition and determine your treatment plan. You may be asked to come in for further evaluation.
SIGNS YOU SHOULD HAVE A SLEEP STUDY
It’s not always easy to tell if your sleep deprivation requires medical intervention or whether it is a temporary situation caused by stress, changes in your schedule, or due to poor sleep hygiene.
But if you chronically feel tired or can’t seem to sleep at all, it’s time to chat with your physician about having a sleep study done. Here are a few top reasons to get a sleep study:
- You have insomnia and either can’t fall asleep or stay asleep during the night
- You can’t stay awake during the day and fall asleep at the wrong time
- You snore
- You have restless legs
- You find yourself sleepwalking
- You have nightmares
- You have difficulty paying attention or concentrating at work, school, or at home
- You have memory problems
- You have difficulty controlling your emotions
Each of these things may indicate a sleep disorder that can be treated by a doctor.
TYPES OF SLEEP DISORDERS
Sleep disorders are not temporary conditions that can be resolved through better sleep hygiene or that can be explained by stress, travel, illnesses, or other interruptions. They are a condition that impacts your ability to get enough quality sleep frequently.
There are several types of sleep disorders. Here are the most common:
INSOMNIA
Insomnia is the inability to sleep or to stay asleep. It’s often caused by jet lag, stress, a health condition, medication, amount of caffeine you drink, or other temporary problems. However, more serious health concerns can lead to insomnia such as anxiety and depression.
Your doctor may suggest a behavior modification that improves your sleep hygiene.
The Sleep Foundation suggests the following practices:
- Limit daytime naps to 20-30 minutes
- Avoid stimulants, including caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
- Exercise (but avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime)
- Avoid rich, fatty, fried, or spicy foods close to bedtime, along with citrus fruits or carbonated drinks that may trigger indigestion
- Get exposure to sunshine and natural light during the day
- Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Turn off the tv, cell phone, and other electronic devices an hour or so before bedtime.
- Make yourself comfortable. Pay attention to the temperature of the room and use comfortable mattresses and pillows. If noise is an issue, consider blackout curtains, earplugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans, or other devices.
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Many people discover that changes to their sleep behavior and hygiene helps them resolve their insomnia without the use of sleep aids or prescription medication.
SLEEP APNEA
If your partner has told you that you snore or they notice that your breathing temporarily stops during sleep, you may have sleep apnea. This disorder is often the reason why people feel tired during the day, as if they haven’t had enough rest despite sleeping all night.
There are several types of sleep apnea, including:
- Obstructive sleep apnea – caused when throat muscles relax
- Central sleep apnea – caused when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
- Complex sleep apnea – caused when both obstructive and central sleep apnea exists
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Sleep apnea is a serious condition and your doctor may refer you to a number of specialists for treatment depending upon the type of sleep apnea you have, including an ear, nose, and throat doctor, a cardiologist, or a neurologist.
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME (RLS)
You may have an irresistible urge to move your legs or arms at night or when you are laying down. This may be caused by uncomfortable sensations in your limbs or feet such as tingles, aches, or creeping sensations.
Restless legs syndrome is also known as Willis-Ekbom disease and can worsen with age. Some common symptoms are:
- Uncomfortable sensations that begin after rest, such as when you are laying down or sitting for an extended period of time
- Relief with movement
- Symptoms that occur at night time
- Leg twitching – known as periodic limb movement of sleep
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Some of the causes of RLS are:
- Genetics
- Pregnancy
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Iron deficiency
- Kidney failure
- Spinal cord conditions
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NARCOLEPSY
This disorder is marked by excessive daytime sleepiness and inability to control falling asleep. It’s caused by a dysfunction of the brain that controls sleeping and waking. Narcolepsy can be dangerous for individuals, since attacks can happen while you are in the middle of working or driving.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM SLEEP DISORDERS
Your circadian rhythm is your internal biological clock that regulates your 24 hour sleep-wake cycle. Light, (primarily natural light), is our body’s natural cue to sleep or wake and it regulates the release of a natural hormone called melatonin.
If your circadian rhythms are thrown off, you may have sleeping problems and disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SHIFT WORK SLEEP DISORDER
This disorder is so named when people’s sleep and work schedules interfere with each other and are out of sync. Some people who work shifts such as early morning or late night shifts experience difficulty with their sleep patterns.
DELAYED SLEEP PHASE DISORDER
This disorder is when your biological clock is significantly delayed. You may go to sleep and wake up later than other people. Some people feel that they are simply a “night owl” but it becomes a serious disorder when you can’t keep normal hours. Light therapy may help treat these types of disorders.
JET LAG
When you travel across time zones, you may experience jet lag due to a disruption in your normal circadian rhythm. People who experience jet lag report that flying east causes worse jet lag than flying west.
GET YOUR SLEEP STUDY AT TANNER CLINIC
Don’t lose another wink of sleep. Let us help you schedule your sleep study today and call us at (801) 773-4865.
