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Sleep lab

Conditions we treat

Almost everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. According to the American Sleep Disorders Association, more than 100 million Americans of all ages fail to get a good night's sleep, yet most of them don't know the reason why. Sleep disorders range from sleepwalking, bedwetting and nightmares to restless legs syndrome, snoring, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

You may have a sleep disorder if you:

  • Snore loudly
  • Suffer from daytime sleepiness
  • Have morning headaches
  • Have short-term memory loss
  • Have high blood pressure or kidney problems
  • Suffer from sexual dysfunction

If you have any of these symptoms, you may want to talk with your doctor. If your doctor believes you may have a sleep disorder, he or she may schedule an appointment for a comprehensive sleep study with Liberty Hospital's sleep lab. A physician referral is necessary for this type of testing.

Our sleep lab

A sleep disorder is not only frustrating, but it can be unhealthy. Liberty Hospital has a four-bedroom sleep lab with full or queen Select Comfort Sleep Number® beds and individual temperature controls. With flexible scheduling options, you may choose any day of the week to complete your sleep test.

During an in-lab sleep study, you will come to the hospital and check in as an outpatient for the night.

  • You will be assigned a quiet room designed like a bedroom to make you feel at home.
  • During the night, you'll sleep in a Select Comfort Sleep Number® bed while a trained technician monitors your sleep.
  • Afterwards, a physician will interpret the findings and report to your family physician. Sleep studies are essential in helping physicians diagnose more than 80 different sleep disorders.

Services

  • Overnight sleep testing (diagnostic, CPAP, BIPAP, ASV and AVAPS titration)
  • Home sleep testing
  • Daytime sleep testing for shift workers
  • MSLT testing for Narcolepsy
  • MWT testing for wakefulness

What do I do if my doctor schedules a home sleep test for me?

  1. You will pick up the equipment from the Liberty Hospital Sleep Lab at the scheduled appointment time. Go to Patient Registration inside the main hospital to check in.
  2. At the appointment, you will meet with a specially trained sleep technologist to learn how to properly use the device.
  3. That night, before bed, you will need to follow the instructions provided to you by the Sleep Technologist. The sensors you will use will record information about your airflow, snoring, breathing effort, heart rate and oxygen levels throughout the night.
  4. In the morning, you will remove the device, return everything to the test kit and return the equipment to the Information Desk at the entrance to Liberty Hospital so we can download and analyze the data.
  5. Results are sent to your physician in about 2 weeks. Set up a follow-up visit with your physician after that time.

You should not have a home sleep test if:

  • You do not have a high risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
  • The physician suspects you may have another sleep disorder.
  • You have certain medical conditions including pulmonary disease, neuromuscular diseases, or underlying heart disease.

What happens during a sleep study in the lab?

  1. During a sleep study, you will come to the hospital and check in as an outpatient for the night.
  2. You will be assigned a quiet room designed like a bedroom to make you feel at home.
  3. During the night, you will sleep in a regular bed while a trained technologist monitors your sleep.
  4. Afterwards, a physician will interpret the findings and report to your family physician. Sleep studies are essential in helping physicians diagnose more than 80 different sleep disorders.

What do I need to bring to a sleep study?

  • A comfortable change of clothes (such as pajamas). You will have time to change once you arrive.
  • List of all medications you take. If there are medications that you need to take at bedtime, you may bring them with you.
  • Personal toiletries. There is a private restroom in your room.
  • We do provide pillows in the sleep lab; but you may choose to bring your own pillow from home.
  • We do not provide sleeping medications for the test; however if you take a sleep aid, either over the counter or prescribed by your doctor, you may bring it with you to take at bedtime.

Do I need a sleep study? Take this quiz:

Answer the following questions on a 0 to 3 rating scale:

  • 0= would never doze
  • 1= slight chance of dozing
  • 2=moderate chance of dozing
  • 3= high chance of dozing.

___Sitting and reading

___Watching TV

___Sitting inactive in a public place (example, in a theater or meeting)

___As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break

___Lying down to rest in the afternoon

___Sitting and talking to someone

___Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol ---

___In a car while stopped in traffic

TOTAL_____

If you scored a total of 10 or more on this Epworth Sleep Scale, you should consult a doctor and ask for a sleep study at the sleep lab.

Staff

The Liberty Hospital sleep lab utilizes a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals who diagnose and treat sleep disorders. The physicians who typically work with the lab include neurologists; psychologists; ear, nose and throat specialists and pulmonary specialists. A registered polysomnographer oversees each patient's sleep study.

Accredited facility member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine