My sleep centre experience didn't provide a definitive answer to my sleep issues. "I was prescribed medication, which I have been on ever since, and I live a normal life now," she says. What our sleep studies discoveredĪlthough uncomfortable, Amira's sleep study and the vigilance test the following day resulted in a diagnosis of mild narcolepsy - which explained her symptoms. This establishes how sleepy you are during the day which can help diagnose disorders such as narcolepsy. This is an in-lab test the day following a sleep study, to see how quickly patients fall asleep. Treatment studies trial equipment or medication such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) study, (the treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea) to check their effectiveness. Through these methods, sleep specialists are able to monitor your sleep and to identify when and why your sleep patterns are disrupted. These are conducted at a sleep lab or at home overnight where "the person's sleep, their breathing and their movements overnight" are studied, says Dr Young.Ī combination of tests are used, which record brain waves, blood oxygen level, heart rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements via plastic devices that sit in the nostril or mouth, ECG (electrodes stuck onto your skin) and infrared video (only in the hospital setting). There are three types of sleep studies: Diagnostic Sleep Studies (Polysomnography) From the information gathered, a specialist physician comes up with a conclusion, says Dr Young. ( Supplied: Dr Alan Young) What happens in a sleep study?ĭuring a sleep study, your sleep is monitored either at home or in a special laboratory. "There were lots of wires connected and it was uncomfortable".īe a part of the ABC Everyday community by joining our Facebook group.ĭr Alan Young demonstrates some of the equipement that may be used in a sleep study. "I still remember the overnight sleep study in the lab," says Amira. Other times, depending on the history, physical examinations and/or a sleep study is the next step.įor both Amira and myself, a sleep study was recommended. In some cases, based on the history alone, a diagnosis and treatment recommendation can be made for conditions such as insomnia. What happens at a sleep centre?Īt the centre, a sleep physician will assess you by taking your sleep history (which can include bedtime and how many hours you slept), sometimes perform a physical exam (such as checking the upper airways and throat) and then advise on the appropriate investigations or management. Other factors like snoring, sleep walking or talking, or feeling tired during the day, are also signs that something may be occurring in your sleep that is impacting its quality and should be investigated at a sleep centre, says Dr Young. It is a reason to visit a GP to seek a referral to a sleep clinic. "Daytime dysfunction is the biggest clue that something is going on in sleep," says Dr Desai. Dentists - who can make oral appliances used for treating obstructive sleep apnoea.Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons - who are experts in assessing the upper airway, nose and throat, and looking at any surgical options for treatment.Dietitians – who can help with nutrition related sleep disorders.Sleep psychologists - specialised in sleep disorders and how to manage them.These multi-disciplinary centres can include: "While some sleep centres can be basic with just a physician and sleep study set up, others are a bit more integrated with a diverse group of specialists, all of whom are interested, engaged and experienced in sleep and trying to manage the problem in a holistic way," says sleep physician Anup Desai. If you go through the private system, there may be out-of-pocket costs depending on which sleep centre you engage, so it is best to check with them prior to attending. In the public system the costs of visiting a sleep centre, sleep studies and all treatments apart from sleep apnoea machines, if needed, are fully covered by Medicare. Sleep centres exist in both the public and private health systems and can be linked to a hospital service. Some also carry out sleep-related research. Put simply, a sleep centre, or sleep clinic, is "a centre that assesses patients who have a wide variety of sleep disorders", says Alan Young, President of Australasian Sleep Association. I had no idea that a facility like this even existed, let alone what it did. This was the question I asked my doctor when she first mentioned it to me.
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