Sleepy All Day? Get a Sleep Study in Northern California

A sleep study is a noninvasive exam that records how your body behaves during sleep and how well you sleep. A sleep study can help diagnose a range of sleep problems. If you have been having problems sleeping at night or staying awake during the day, you may benefit from a sleep study. 

Dignity Health North State offers sleep studies in Northern California to diagnose your sleep disorder, then provide the right treatment. Find a Doctor to make an appointment with a sleep specialist in your area: 

Why a Sleep Study is Performed

If you have signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder, your doctor may recommend a sleep study. Sleep disorder signs and symptoms may include:

  • Ongoing daytime sleepiness
  • Tingling or crawling feeling in your legs, particularly when you are dozing off or relaxing
  • Chronic snoring or interruptions in breathing as you snore
  • Jerking arm or leg movements as you sleep
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking waking earlier than desired or in the middle of the night for prolonged periods

A sleep study can provide information about a variety of sleep conditions, including: 

  • Sleep apnea, multiple prolonged pauses in breathing during the night
  • Narcolepsy, sudden and unexpected daytime sleepiness
  • Restless legs syndrome, discomfort that can be relieved by moving your legs

Some sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, may increase your risk of developing heart disease and other conditions.

 

What to Expect During a Sleep Study at Dignity Health North State

A sleep study may require you to spend the day or night at a sleep center. You should not consume caffeine and alcohol in the hours leading up to the sleep study. Adhesive-backed electrodes will be placed on your body to record breathing, blood oxygen levels, movements, and other data.

The four main types of sleep studies include:

  • Maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT): You sit silently in a chair looking straight ahead for 40 minutes at a time without falling asleep.
  • Polysomnogram (PSG): You try to sleep as you would at home while wearing monitoring equipment.
  • Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT): You try to fall asleep during the day in a darkened room, usually after waking from a PSG.
  • Portable home sleep monitor: You set up equipment to monitor you as you sleep in your own bed.

You will be allowed to go home immediately following your sleep study. If you took a home sleep test, your doctor will analyze the data from the equipment once you return it.

Your results are usually available within a few weeks following your sleep study. Your doctor will use the results of the study to develop your personalized treatment plan.

Dignity Health North State hospitals provide sleep studies in Mt. Shasta, Red Bluff, and Redding, CA.