Monitoring Your Sleep
Dr. Braga may have you use a take home sleep monitor or refer you to a Sleep Center to have a sleep study as part of your evaluation. A sleep study tracks and records body functions while you sleep, either at a sleep clinic or in your own bed at home. The results of the study will help with diagnosing your problem and determining which treatments will be best for you.
Overnight in a Sleep Clinic
If you spend a night in a sleep clinic, you will have a private bedroom. A technician will attach many sensors to your body, then go into another room. As you sleep, your heart rate, breathing, oxygen level, and other functions will be tracked. A microphone and video camera will record your breathing sounds and body movements. The technician will keep watch nearby. If you need an air pressure device to help you breathe (see Air Pressure Treatment), one will be available.
In Your Own Bed at Home
A home sleep study may record many of the same things as a sleep clinic study. You will learn how to attach the sensors to your body. You may also have help from a technician. At bedtime you plug the sensors into a small computer and turn it on. In the morning, you will remove the sensors and return the computer so the results can be studied.