Sleep Study

A sleep study is an important tool that your consultant may use to help diagnose a variety of sleep disorders, including:

• Epilepsy
• Hypersomnia
• Insomnia
• Parasomnias
• Restless legs syndrome
• Periodic limb movements of sleep
• Sleep aponea

Before they recommend a sleep study, your consultant will want to know all about your symptoms. They’ll ask what you’ve been experiencing, for how long and how these symptoms are affecting your life. If they feel a sleep study will help them diagnose your condition, they’ll explain to you in detail what to expect before, during and after the study.

At Cleveland Clinic London, we offer an overnight sleep study (you may also hear this called a polysomnogram). This diagnostic test uses sensors on your skin to track and record how your heart, brain and lungs work as you sleep in a private room on one of our wards. Our sleep study team can use the information from your sleep study to gain a thorough understanding of the quality of your sleep.

Preparing for a sleep study

There are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for a sleep study. First, you’ll need to pack for an overnight stay. Please bring sleepwear, a toothbrush, any other personal hygiene or grooming items you may need, and clothes to wear the next morning. If you have questions on what to pack, please let us know. We’re happy to provide more guidance if needed. Other things to keep in mind as you prepare include:

• Bathe or shower beforehand. Avoid using creams, lotions and hair care products. Clean skin helps the sensors stay attached to your skin and provide clear readings. Also, avoid nail polish or fake nails. These can interfere with the pulse oximeter readings on your finger.
• Take medications as usual. Unless your consultant advises otherwise, keep taking your usual medications. We will let you know if you need to temporarily stop any medications before the sleep study. If you have any questions about medications, please talk with your consultant.
• Inform your consultant about skin allergies. Some adhesives used with sensors can cause an allergic skin reaction. Be sure to tell your consultant about any allergies you may have to avoid irritation.
• Stick to your normal routine. On the day of your sleep study, stick to your normal routine. Don’t nap and avoid caffeine and alcohol for at least eight hours prior to the study.

How a sleep study works

When you arrive for the study, we’ll place painless sensors (electrodes) on your head to track your eye movements and brain and muscle activity. We’ll also put sensors around your nose, chest, belly (abdomen) and on your legs to check for movement. Oxygen and carbon dioxide sensors will monitor your breathing patterns.

Depending on your overall health, we may put additional sensors on your head to record a full electroencephalogram (EEG), too. This helps us look at your brain waves to review them in more detail during abnormal movements or behaviors (like seizures or parasomnias) while you’re asleep.

What to expect after a sleep study

When the results of your sleep study are available, your care team will meet with you to go over the findings and talk about your personalised treatment plan. Our goal is to help you get the best night’s sleep we can. Your care plan may include:

• Using an oral appliance or CPAP machine for sleep apnoea
• Making changes to your sleep routine
• Taking melatonin to help with insomnia
• Taking other medications to make you less drowsy during the day or to treat anxiety or depression

In certain cases, we may also refer you for cognitive behavioral therapy or suggest complementary medicine like meditation and relaxation.

Paying for a Private Sleep Study at Cleveland Clinic

If your consultant has recommended a sleep study for you, we offer convenient ways to pay for treatment. You may opt to use our quick and easy self-pay services. We also accept most major health insurance plans. Have questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out, and we’ll connect you with a specialist who can walk you through the financial side of your care.

What’s Next?

Not getting enough sleep at night or having trouble staying awake during the day can play havoc with your well-being. It can make you irritable, anxious, unable to concentrate and even put you at risk for other health conditions. A sleep study can help your consultant uncover exactly what’s going on with your sleep. And it can help them recommend the best and most effective way to treat you. Our goal is to help you find the answers you need and get much-needed rest so you can enjoy your days to the fullest.