Sleep studies

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Sleep studies

Sleep studies are a series of tests that help evaluate what happens to the body during sleep. They can help diagnose sleep disorders, which include sleep-disruptive behaviors (such as sleepwalking), sleep apnea, daytime sleepiness, and insomnia.

Sleep studies include:

Polysomnography, which records a variety of body functions during sleep, including electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, breathing, air flow through the nose and mouth, and blood oxygen levels.
Multiple sleep latency test, which measures how long it takes the person to fall asleep during the course of a day.
Multiple wake test, which measures the person's ability to stay awake during a designated wakeful time.

Sleep studies usually require an overnight stay in a sleep lab.

Credits

Author	Jeannette Curtis
Author	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Last Updated	May 25, 2007

Last updated:	May 25, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman

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