Insomnia Test
My sister Rose has been dealing with insomnia most of her life. When she was young she started having night terrors and nightmares that would wake up the household. Thoughts of being punished or chased always filled her head every night she laid down in bed. After awhile our parents tried everything to calm her down as she would throw a fit when it came to bedtime. These thoughts caused her to suffer from insomnia.
When she went to college she started to drink alcohol just to fall asleep, but only to wake up during the night and having to deal with a hangover every morning. She tried many over-the-counter remedies, natural remedies such as melatonin and/or L-tryptophane and Tizandine an antispasmodic medication to help her fall asleep. Only Tizandine seemed to work in the long run, but the side effects and the possibility for addiction didn't seem like a very healthy trade-off.
Side effects of Tizandine are nausea, constipation, dry mouth, vomiting, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat and black stool. A serious allergic reaction includes; rash, trouble breathing and itching. She had to stop taking Tizandine when she started breast feeding because it is not known if the drug is excreted into human milk. So again we had to look into other ways to help her overcome her insomnia. Insomnia over time will contribute to other health problems such as; hypertension, difficulty to control diabetes and congestive heart failure. It was time to look at other alternatives to medication and to find the source of her problem with an insomnia test or sleep study. It was also important for her to consult with a sleep specialist and have explained what to expect from a sleep study. If you are having a sleep study here is some of the information she received.
Tour the lab a day before your appointment to get an idea of what to expect, look around and ask questions.
Take comfortable clothes that aren't restrictive. If you found that the lab was too cool, bring warmer clothes and socks. Too warm, night shorts and a t-shirt.
Bring your own pillow and blanket, so it feels you are still in your own bed. I travel a lot and always bring my own memory foam pillow with me. You never know what type of pillow the hotel has to offer; feather, too hard or too soft and with your own pillow and pillow case at least you know where it's been.
During your consultation with the physician he will give you instructions, so please read them carefully so you are prepared for your sleep study. Wash your hair with no products in it, no lotion on your face and legs, avoid caffeinated beverages. Complete all your forms and list all your medications and supplements as some sleep studies require you to stop certain medications.
If you can't fall asleep the lab may prescribe a sleep aide for anxiety. Some labs will test for obstructive sleep apnea and you will be required to wear a CPAP. Taking an anti-anxiety medication may make the adjustment to wearing a CPAP go a little easier.
The insomnia test itself is called a polysomnography that monitors sleep patterns or recordings of biophysiological changes that occur during sleep. The areas they test are your brain, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm and breathing functions that will determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea.
The results from Rose's test concluded that she use light therapy as a form of treatment along with sleep music or binaural audio. Due to her sleeping habits as a child and in college she developed a disorder known as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome or DSPS which affects her body's circadian rhythm. People with DSPS will fall asleep late at night and have difficulty waking up in the morning. Her timing of sleep, peak period of alertness and hormonal production, such as her melatonin levels were different than societal norms. Light therapy works to correct her circadian rhythm as bright light is used in the morning and dim light in the evening which should increase her melatonin levels and prepare her body for sleep.
Sleep music and binaural audio will help keep her mind off of her wondering and stressful thoughts as she drifts off to sleep, not that she thinks of monsters any longer. Binaural audio will work by playing slightly different frequencies in each ear that will result in deep relaxation by the listener and bring the brain waves to the correct frequency for dreams to occur.
Today Rose is improving and not having as many episodes of sleepless nights. Due to the results from her insomnia test she is a much happier person now that she is getting the treatment she needs to get the sleep she deserves. If you feel you are suffering from insomnia, consult your physician as he may recommend a sleep study to determine which treatment is right for you.
Yes
No
Flag
Comments
Interesting article. I always wondered what a sleep study consisted of.
You must be logged in and verified to post a comment. Please log in or sign up to comment.