Once you have been evaluated at the Piedmont Sleep Disorders Center or referred for a sleep study by your doctor, you will be instructed to come to the sleep lab for an overnight study, termed polysomnography. During your study, your brain waves, eye movements, breathing patterns and air flow, heart rate and EKG, oxygen level, and muscle activity will be monitored throughout the night.

You should eat dinner prior to coming for the overnight study, bring with you pajamas, an overnight bag, toiletries, and a towel to shower in the morning if you would like. Our rooms are extremely comfortable with bedside lighting, televisions with DVD players, ceiling fans, and comfortable bedding. If you have a favorite pillow you would like to sleep with, by all means bring it along.

• What do I do upon arrival to the Sleep Center for my study?

Upon arrival, you will be escorted to your room for the night and made comfortable. A sleep technologist will educate you regarding the study to be performed and begin to set you up with the various electrodes and monitoring devices soon thereafter. There are no invasive devices used during the study and we strive to make the most pleasant sleep experience for you. We do monitor all patients with a video camera throughout the night in addition to the monitoring devices. Additionally, there is continuous monitoring through an intercom throughout the study so if you need to communicate with the technicians, they will respond immediately. Patients often feel uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping with attached electrodes however, due to the comfortable environment of our bedrooms, patients tend to sleep easy (see about us to view photos of our sleep center).

• What wires are used and how are they held in place during the study?

• What about bed time and wake time?

• I was told I might need a “nap study”; what does that mean?

• When will my results be known?

• I was told I have to have a CPAP titration, what does this mean?