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Patient Education

At Capital Health’s Center for Sleep Medicine, we provide our patients with the educational tools necessary to better manage their sleep disorders. Here are some answers to a few frequently asked questions about sleep studies and treatment of sleep disorders:

What is a sleep study?

A sleep study is part of a comprehensive evaluation of sleep problems. During a sleep study, a patient will spend the night in a private “bedroom” at the sleep center. The patient will have brain wave activity and body systems monitored throughout the night by a technician who remains outside the room at a control center. Most patients find it similar to sleeping in a hotel and are able to fall asleep quite easily. After a sleep study is completed, our physicians will interpret the results and prepare an individualized treatment plan.

What are some common sleep disorders?

  • Sleep Apnea – Pauses in breathing associated with snoring, gasping for breath, and unrefreshing sleep
  • Narcolepsy – Excessive sleepiness during the day, which can be associated with involuntary napping
  • Insomnia – Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Parasomnias & nocturnal seizures – Sleepwalking or other unusual body movements during sleep

Do children have sleeping disorders?

Sleep disorders are common among children as well as adults. In children, sleep disorder symptoms differ from adults and are often linked to hyperactivity, poor school performance, and ADHD. The team at Capital Health’s Center for Sleep Medicine are experts in treating children as well as adults and can evaluate and treat anyone one year of age or older. Click here to read more about sleep disorders in children.

Do I have to take a day off from work or school for a sleep study?

Testing is generally performed at night without interruption of a patient’s daytime responsibilities. However, after a patient has been diagnosed and a treatment plan has been formalized, our convenient daytime hours allow us to continue working with the patient during the treatment phase to provide follow-up care that is crucial to the patient’s understanding of sleep disorders and all treatment options.