Sleep Studies

• Many health conditions can cause abnormal sleep. These include Reference restless legs syndrome Opens New Window, Reference obesity Opens New Window, heart or respiratory diseases, Reference hypothyroidism Opens New Window, Reference depression Opens New Window, and neuromuscular diseases (such as Reference Parkinson's disease Opens New Window).
• A second polysomnogram may be needed if you were unable to sleep long enough for the test. Also, after your sleep problem has been identified, you may need a second study if your doctor orders treatment such as Reference continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) Opens New Window.
• A split night study is another type of sleep study. During the first half of the night, you are checked for sleep apnea. During the second half of the night, your apnea is treated with breathing aids (such as CPAP) to open your blocked airway.
• Portable sleep study equipment is available for a person to do sleep studies at home. This may be a choice for people who have problems sleeping in a sleep lab. But home sleep studies may not give the same results as a sleep lab.
• In rare cases, a pH test may be done during a sleep study to see if there is reflux of stomach juices into the Reference esophagus Opens New Window. For a pH test, a small wire is placed in the nose and guided to the lower part of the esophagus.

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