What Kind of Information Will I Learn from a Sleep Study?

You might wonder why your doctor has asked you to take a sleep study. After all, you know how you sleep better than anyone, right? Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. A sleep study, or polysomnography, is a valuable tool for assessing what's going on with your sleep patterns. 

At Northwest Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in Algonquin, Illinois, Dennis Kellar, MD, Amanda Law, FPA-APRN, CNP, and our team help you get to the root of your sleep issues. We use advanced monitoring to track your breathing, movements, and other vital signs while you rest.

Here’s a guide to what you can expect to learn from a sleep study:

Want to sleep better? Why a sleep study matters

You don’t have to count sheep at night to benefit from a sleep study. This comprehensive tool can reveal why you feel tired in the morning, wake up with headaches, need an afternoon nap, and more. Your doctor may recommend a sleep study to diagnose conditions such as:

• Sleep apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Restless leg syndrome
• Insomnia
• Periodic limb movement disorder
• REM sleep behavior disorder
• Chronic snoring that disrupts sleep quality
• Circadian rhythm disorders
• Sleepwalking or other parasomnias
• Excessive daytime sleepiness with no clear cause
• Sleep-related breathing disorders
• Unexplained fatigue despite adequate sleep time

You might not realize you have sleep problems until you take a sleep study.

The surprising data a sleep study can uncover

When you have a sleep study at Northwest Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine’s state-of-the-art facility, you can expect a comfortable experience that tracks and monitors the following:

Your breathing patterns

We monitor how your breathing changes at night, checking for issues like sleep apnea or irregularities that could affect your sleep.

Brain activity

We measure your brain waves to understand the stages of your sleep, such as deep sleep or REM, and identify disruptions.

Heart rate and rhythm

Monitoring your heart rate can detect irregularities possibly linked to sleep disorders.

Body movements

From tossing and turning to more significant movements, we track your body’s activity to see if conditions like restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movements interfere with your rest.

Oxygen levels

Fluctuations in your blood oxygen levels can signal serious issues, like sleep apnea, that may affect your overall health.

Muscle tone

We observe your muscle activity during sleep to detect signs of disorders like REM sleep behavior disorder, where people act out their dreams.

This data helps us build a full picture of your sleep, allowing us to offer the right treatment plan to improve your rest.

Book your sleep study in Algonquin, Illinois

Quality sleep is essential to feeling your best each day. If you wake up tired, experience headaches, or struggle with unexplained fatigue, a sleep study can provide crucial insights.

Find out how you can benefit from a sleep study at Northwest Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine. Call us or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment today.