Sleep Medicine
Rest Easier After a Sleep Study at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center
Good sleep is essential for your well-being. However, the National Sleep Foundation reports more than 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, and yet many aren’t aware they even have one. Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center offers an EEG/Sleep Disorders Center that can help identify the cause of your restless sleep and the treatments you need so you can rest better. Our sleep specialists offer educational information, diagnosis, and treatment of many common sleep conditions, and we are committed to helping you sleep better and more comfortably.
We treat many sleep disorders, including:
- Insomnia
- Sleep apnea
- Narcolepsy
- Sleep periodic limb movement disorder
- And more
What Happens During a Sleep Study?
Our sleep studies typically begin in the late evening and conclude early the next morning at approximately 6:00 a.m. If you are a second or third-shift worker, we will do our best to accommodate your sleeping schedule. Please inform your physician of your sleeping schedule when you are being scheduled for your appointment. When you arrive at the Sleep Disorders Center, our sleep technologist will escort you from the Registration Department to the Sleep Disorders Center and provide you with several forms to fill out. As part of your orientation, you may be asked to watch a video that will help explain the process.
You will have a private room for your sleep study equipped with a TV and handicapped accessible bathroom. After changing into your sleepwear, our sleep technologist will apply several sensors on you that will monitor your brain waves, breathing, audible snoring, body position, oxygen level, and movement. These sensors are then connected to a portable device that transmits signals to sleep monitoring and recording technology we will have nearby. Although wearing the sensors can feel strange at first, most patients acclimate to them and do not have any trouble falling asleep. If you are uncomfortable, our staff will be there to help remedy the situation.
While you're asleep, our technologists remain awake in the control room where information is being recorded and compiled. They can analyze this data and help physicians conclude your sleep issue.
What Happens After the Sleep Study?
Once the testing has been completed the sleep technologist will remove all of the sensors. This takes approximately 15-30 minutes. Once the sensors have been removed you may get ready for your day as you usually would. After the sleep test is completed, a physician who is board-certified in sleep medicine will review the information and send recommendations to your physician. In the morning, the sleep technologist will provide you with general information concerning your study but will not be able to give you the final results. It may take up to 2 weeks for your physician to receive your sleep study report. Please schedule a follow-up visit with your physician after that time to discuss the results and treatment options if necessary.
Do I Need to Have a Sleep Study?
For many people, participating in a sleep study can cause some unease and anxiety. It’s normal to feel hesitant about staying overnight somewhere outside of your home and wonder what your sleep study will require of you. At the Sleep Disorders Center, our goal is to minimize your anxieties and provide you with all the information you’ll need before participating in one of our sleep studies.
For more answers about your sleep study, call us at 319-768-4325 today. We're ready to answer your questions.
