In order for sleep apnea to be diagnosed, you may need to undergo a sleep apnea study.
If you’ve recently been having issues with sleeping and find that you aren’t well rested when you wake up in the morning, it’s possible that you’re suffering from a common and potentially serious sleeping disorder known as sleep apnea. A sleep apnea study assists in identifying the cause of the condition and will allow you to begin receiving treatment for the issue. Before you schedule one of these studies, you should learn more about the sleep apnea condition and what a sleep apnea study includes.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a kind of sleeping disorder that causes a person’s breathing to stop and start repeatedly while they sleep. If you find that you’re snoring loudly at night or that you’re consistently tired in the morning even after getting a significant amount of sleep, you may be suffering from sleep apnea.
There are three separate types of sleep apnea that you will want to be aware of, which include central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain isn’t sending the right signals to the various muscles that are designed to control breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type that will occur when the throat muscles relax too much. As for complex sleep apnea, it’s a rare type of sleep apnea that’s considered to be a combination of central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
No matter which type of sleep apnea you’re affected by, the symptoms will largely remain the same. Some of the more common symptoms associated with sleep apnea include:
- Loud and constant snoring
- General irritation
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Not breathing during your sleep, which can only be noticed by another individual
- Headaches in the morning
- Not being able to sleep well
What a Sleep Apnea Study Entails
While it’s possible for sleep apnea to be diagnosed with a home sleep apnea test, the most effective type of diagnostics involves a sleep study, which requires you to stay overnight in a sleep center. The sleep study that you’re provided with at Nasal & Sinus Surgery Center will be able to determine if you’re suffering from sleep apnea and what the best treatment option is for your specific situation.
A monitoring area will be located just nearby the bedroom, which is where every facet of your sleep will be closely monitored. Several surface electrodes will be positioned directly on your scalp and face, which will send electrical signals pertaining to your muscle and brain activity. Belts will also be positioned around your abdomen and chest to monitor your breathing. The results will be recorded and studied once the night is over, which will allow you to learn more about the type of sleep apnea that you’re affected by. While the equipment that’s used with this study looks like it would be uncomfortable, you shouldn’t have any issues with sleeping.