Sleep Studies
Overnight Sleep Studies | Daytime Sleep Studies | Sleep Studies Only | Follow Up & Results
Overnight Sleep Studies ~
ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE:
The Garden Sleep Center performs overnight sleep studies on Monday through Saturday nights.
The night technicians are on duty here from 8:30 PM to 6:00 AM. There are several places within a few miles of the Center to eat dinner, and since we have no cafeteriaor vending machines you should eat dinner prior to coming in for your study. We usually ask that you arrive between 8:30 and 9:00 PM to be checked in and assigned a bedroom.
ACCOMODATIONS: Each bedroom is private, has a television. There is an oversized recliner in each room that is often used by a parent or a spouse for sleeping-in during studies. When we test children, we do require a parent or guardian spend the night with them here as well. If someone needs special care, we also ask that a caregiver remain for the duration of the sleep study since there are no nurses or doctors at the center at night.
WHAT TO BRING: Please bring any medications you are on with you, and take them on your regular schedule unless you were told previously that you should discontinue any of them. As always, if in doubt please call our office to discuss your medications.
You need to bring pajamas (preferably two-piece) since we do not allow sleeping in the nude. You should bring any personal hygiene items you will need.
Many of our patients find it enhances their sleep to bring their own pillow to use along with ours.
You can bring snacks and drinks with you if they are caffeine and alcohol free, and bring a book or something else to occupy you since you will not be going to bed immediately.
We ask that you not drink any caffeine after 4 P.M. on the day of the study as this can affect your sleep architecture.
WHAT WE DO: After you arrive at the center on the night of your sleep study, you will be checked into a bedroom and asked to change into your pajamas. We generally advise patients to shampoo and dry their hair before coming in.
Technicians will be placing small dime-sized sensors on you to record your sleep, heart rate, and muscle tension. You also will have two elastic bands placed n your abdomen and chest to monitor respiratory movement, a sensor on your finger to monitor oxygen saturation, and a small sensor placed under your nose to monitor airflow, only around 10PM as this allows you to get used to the surroundings before trying to sleep. Once the study starts, you are monitored from the Lab by the technicians. They are there all night so if you need to get up to go to the restroom or if you need anything you can just call out and they can hear you over the intercom in your room. If you have to get up in the morning at a specific time, please let the technicians know when you arrive at the center.
Daytime Sleep Studies (Multiple Sleep Latency Test)
MULTIPLE SLEEP LATENCY TEST (MSLT): A Multiple Sleep Latency Test is required to diagnose certain sleep disorders. Most patients do not need an MSLT. These tests are done during the daytime, and are only done after you have had an all-night study. The MSLT consists of four or five short naps throughout the day at two-hour intervals. The naps are usually anywhere from 20 minutes to half an hour long, and then you must stay awake until the next nap. Certain medications that might not disturb a nighttime study can interfere with an MSLT’s results. Please be sure that you discuss all of your medications and any other supplements you may be taking when you come in for your office visit. Please call us at 516-741-0055 if you are unsure about instructions you were given for the MSLT or for discontinuing medications.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MSLT:
An MSLT requires a full day to complete. Make sure you bring food with you for break- fast and lunch since we have no vending machines. Please do not bring any drinks with caffeine in them. Make sure you bring projects with you to keep you occupied during the time you are awake. For children, a parent or guardian must remain for the day also. You can bring in short videos to watch, or books you wish to read. Make sure you come in with comfortable daytime clothing to wear for the MSLT, as we would like you to remain active between naps. You can ask a friend or family member to visit you throughout the day also. The test is usually done by 5- 5:30 PM, but some patients are through by 3:30 PM. We can let you know by 3:30 PM if you need to stay any longer, once we have reviewed the first four naps.
Sleep Studies Only, with no prior office visit
Some insurance policies (a few HMO’s- call your customer service # to confirm this) only pay for the sleep study itself, and will not allow you to come into our office for evaluation/consultation or for follow-up. In that case, we need all of your medical information from your Primary Care Physician and also your completed Sleep History Questionnaire (PDF) mailed or faxed to us at least 3 business days prior to your study. This information has to be care- fully reviewed and an order written up by our sleep specialist before we can run a diagnostic study on you. Your first appointment with us then will be at 7:00 PM, and you should arrange to be ready to check out at 7:00 AM the following day. Your results are usually mailed to your referring physician to go over with you and set up any treatment required. See the Overnight Sleep Studies section for more information.
Follow-Up Visits | Results of Your Study
A follow-up visit is scheduled for you after all of the appropriate testing that was ordered has been done. In some cases, this may mean you would have two separate sleep studies before you actually came in for follow-up. If you would prefer to come in right after your diagnostic study before going on with a treatment study, we will certainly schedule that for you. Simply call our office at 516-741-0055 after your study to speak to the front desk staff and they will let you know if you need additional referrals and give you a date for the appointment. Follow-up visits are usually one to two weeks after completion of all testing. If you have not heard from our office within a few days after your studies, please feel free to call and set up the appointment yourself. A follow-up visit is usually only about 15-30 minutes, and at that time you can discuss treatment options with the Sleep Specialist, and get a copy of your results for your own records.
