Evie Summers
If you think you might have a sleep disorder, the first step is to see a doctor. They will take a sleep history, review your medical and psychiatric history, and give you a physical examination. They may also ask you to keep a sleep diary. If they think you have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, they will recommend a sleep study. This could be an in-lab sleep study, a sleep study with a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), or a home sleep apnea test.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep history | A doctor will take a careful sleep history, reviewing all medical and psychiatric problems |
| Sleep diary | You may be asked to keep a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake pattern |
| Medical history | A doctor will review your complete medical history |
| Physical examination | A doctor will give you a physical examination |
| Sleep problem | A sleep physician will attempt to determine the nature of a sleep problem and its treatment |
| Sleep study | A sleep study may be recommended if a sleep physician thinks you may have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, hypersomnia, or parasomnia |
| Home sleep apnea test | A home sleep apnea test may be recommended if a physician suspects you have sleep apnea; the test collects data on your breathing and blood oxygen level |
| In-lab sleep study | An in-lab sleep study is recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours may be documented |
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What You'll Learn
- Sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome (RLS) can be diagnosed without a sleep test
- If a sleep physician suspects you have sleep apnea, they will recommend a home sleep apnea test
- A sleep physician will first determine the nature of a sleep problem and its treatment before recommending a sleep study
- A sleep study may be recommended if a sleep physician thinks you have a parasomnia such as sleep walking or nocturnal eating
- A sleep study will be recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours can be documented
Sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome (RLS) can be diagnosed without a sleep test
The first step in determining whether you have a sleep disorder might not be a sleep study. A sleep physician will first attempt to determine the nature of the sleep problem and its treatment. This includes a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake pattern, your complete medical history, and a physical examination. If the sleep physician thinks you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a hypersomnia such as narcolepsy, or a parasomnia such as sleepwalking or nocturnal eating, they will recommend a sleep study.
In many cases, a physician will recommend a home sleep apnea test if they suspect you have sleep apnea. Sleep in the centre is never quite like at home, and it may take longer to fall asleep. However, this usually does not interfere with getting accurate information from your sleep study. You should sleep in the body position that you are comfortable in and let the tech know if anything is uncomfortable as there is often some flexibility in the positioning of the monitors.
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If a sleep physician suspects you have sleep apnea, they will recommend a home sleep apnea test
A home sleep apnea test will collect data on your breathing and blood oxygen level. This data is then used by the physician to diagnose sleep apnea. You may also be asked to keep a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake pattern, as well as share your complete medical history and any current and past medications.
A sleep physician will first attempt to determine the nature of a sleep problem and its treatment. If they think you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), they will recommend a sleep study. This could be an in-lab sleep study, a sleep study with a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) the following day, or a home sleep apnea test.
In-lab sleep studies are recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours may be documented. However, sleep in a lab is never quite like at home, and it may take longer to fall asleep. Many patients report feeling as if they did not sleep as "soundly" as they do at home, often due to the awareness of the monitoring device.
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A sleep physician will first determine the nature of a sleep problem and its treatment before recommending a sleep study
If you think you may have a sleep disorder, the first step is to consult a sleep physician. They will determine the nature of the sleep problem and its treatment before recommending a sleep study. This will include a review of your sleep history, a physical examination, and a discussion of your medical and psychiatric history. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake patterns.
If the sleep physician suspects you have a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypersomnia (e.g. narcolepsy), or parasomnia (e.g. sleepwalking or nocturnal eating), they will recommend a sleep study. This could be an in-lab sleep study, a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), or a home sleep apnea test, depending on your specific symptoms and needs.
In-lab sleep studies are recorded on video to document sleep talking and unusual behaviours, while home sleep apnea tests collect data on your breathing and blood oxygen levels. It's important to note that some sleep disorders, such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome (RLS), do not require a sleep study for diagnosis and can be diagnosed through a review of your history and symptoms.
If you are recommended for a sleep study, there are a few things to keep in mind. Sleep in a lab or clinic may be different from your sleep at home, and you may find it takes longer to fall asleep or that you don't sleep as soundly. However, this usually does not interfere with getting accurate information from the study. You should sleep in a position that is comfortable for you and communicate any discomfort to the technician, as there is often flexibility in the positioning of the monitors.
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A sleep study may be recommended if a sleep physician thinks you have a parasomnia such as sleep walking or nocturnal eating
If you think you may need a sleep test, the first step is to consult a sleep physician. They will take a sleep history, review your medical and psychiatric history, and perform a physical examination. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake pattern. The physician will then determine whether you need an in-lab sleep study, a sleep study with a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), or a home sleep apnea test.
A sleep study may be recommended if a sleep physician suspects you have a parasomnia such as sleepwalking or nocturnal eating. A sleep study is also likely to be recommended if a sleep physician thinks you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or a hypersomnia such as narcolepsy. In-lab sleep studies are recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours can be documented. Home sleep apnea tests collect data on your breathing and blood oxygen levels.
It is important to note that other sleep disorders, such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome (RLS), do not require a sleep study to diagnose and can be determined through a patient's history.
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A sleep study will be recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours can be documented
If you think you may have a sleep disorder, the first step is to consult a sleep physician. They will take a sleep history, review your medical and psychiatric history, and perform a physical examination. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary to track your sleep-wake pattern. If the physician suspects you have sleep apnea, they may recommend a home sleep apnea test. Other sleep disorders, such as insomnia and restless leg syndrome, can often be diagnosed without a sleep study, through history and examination.
If the physician thinks you may have a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypersomnia (e.g. narcolepsy), or parasomnia (e.g. sleepwalking or nocturnal eating), they will recommend a sleep study. This may be an in-lab sleep study or a home sleep apnea test. An in-lab sleep study will be recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours can be documented. The video recording, along with other monitoring devices, will provide accurate information about your sleep patterns and behaviours.
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Frequently asked questions
Your doctor will take a careful sleep history, review all medical and psychiatric problems, as well as give you a physical examination. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary and share any current and past medications. Your sleep physician will then determine whether or not an in-lab sleep study, a sleep study with a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) the following day or a home sleep apnea test is required.
The in-lab sleep study is recorded on video so that sleep talking and unusual behaviours may be documented. You should sleep in the body position that you are comfortable in and let the tech know if anything is uncomfortable as there is often some flexibility in the positioning of the monitors.
Home sleep apnea tests collect data on your breathing and blood oxygen level, which the physician requires to diagnose sleep apnea.
In many cases, sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome (RLS) do not require a sleep study to diagnose, but rather a history.
