Sleep Studies

Having trouble sleeping?

Sleep studies at Franklin General Hospital are used to diagnose patients with sleep-related disorders.

Sleep disorders come in many forms. Someone suffering from sleep apnea and snoring is unable to breathe properly during sleep. A person with insomnia is unable to sleep during the night while another with narcolepsy falls asleep at inappropriate times. Restless leg syndrome can keep a person awake with excruciating restlessness or a crawling feeling in the legs when trying to sleep. These are just a few of many sleep-related disorders.

If you experience two or more of the following, you may have a sleep disorder:

  • Snoring
  • Trouble staying awake while watching TV, reading, or attending meetings
  • Fighting sleep while driving
  • Stopped breathing, snorting, or gasping for air while sleeping
  • Irritability
  • Trouble concentrating or remembering
  • Creeping, crawling sensations in legs or
  • Frequent kicking while sleeping
  • Difficulty falling and staying asleep
  • Talking loudly, screaming or walking in your sleep

If left untreated, sleep disorders can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.

The sleep study at FGH is an overnight procedure designed to monitor and record the various changes in the body during sleep. It is run and supervised by professionals experienced in sleep-related disorders.

During the sleep study, the patient spends the night in a comfortable, private room at FGH, while sensors record the activity of his or her heart, breathing, body movements, as well as monitoring sleep patterns. Brain waves, muscle activity, body position, breathing, and oxygen levels in the blood are some of the changes that are monitored.

The results are then used to diagnose patients with sleep-related disorders. Sleep Lab staff will analyze your sleep recordings and send a written report of the findings and recommendations to your health care provider. The Sleep Lab may also provide CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), a device that will keep your air passage open and help you breathe.

If you are concerned that you may suffer from a sleep-related disorder, contact your personal FMC health care provider. Your provider can make the arrangements for a sleep study to be performed.

Insurance coverage for sleep studies varies from company to company. Please check with your carrier for information about your specific plan.