How much equipment will I have on me?

• There will be up to 26 pieces of equipment on depending on the type of study you are having. The equipment includes 18-20 electrodes (metal discs about the size of a small button with a wire coming out of the end), 2 belts — one on your abdomen and one on your chest — 2 nasal cannulas to detect airflow, a snore sensor, and a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels in the blood.

How can anyone sleep with all that stuff on?

• Most people do not have trouble sleeping with the equipment on but it does happen. It will take a little adjusting to get used to having the equipment there, but it does not inhibit your moving around or sleeping in different positions. Our staff will also help ensure that you are as comfortable as possible.

How is everything going to stay on?

• Generally everything stays on. The electrodes that are placed on areas with hair are held in place using a thick paste. All electrodes on the skin are held in place using a latex free tape. If something were to come off, our technologists would simply enter your room and replace it. Technologists will be able to tell if something needs fixing, so we tell our patients to let us worry about that.

Will anything hurt?

• No. This is a painless procedure. We use adhesive remover in the mornings to remove the tape easily and painlessly from the skin. The electrodes in the hair can be pulled out gently without pulling hair out.

How long will I be there?

• We ask all patients to arrive between 8:00pm and 8:30pm. Most studies are over by 6:00am the next day. In come cases, patients will stay the next day for a series of nap studies. These typically begin around 8:00am and are completed no later than 5pm. Your doctor will tell you at the office visit if you will be a candidate for staying during the daytime study.

What time will I go to bed?

• Staff at the Sleep Center try to do their best to keep patients' schedules for bedtime. However this is not always possible so the latest the lights and televisions can be on is 11:00pm.

What do I do if I need to use the bathroom once I'm in the bed?

• You will need to call for assistance if you need to use the bathroom or get out of the bed for any reason once you are connected to the equipment. Technologists are available to you at all times during your study, so should you need anything — water, blankets, ear plugs, etc. — all you will have to do is call for help.

What are the rooms like?

• We have six private rooms within the Hilton Garden Inn, including one handicapped-accessible room. All rooms have one king bed or 2 queen beds, 32 in. high definition flat tube television, clock radio with jack for portable music player, and a desk. Each room has its own private restroom.

What should I bring to my study?

• A comfortable pair of pajamas is really the only thing you need. Other things you may want to bring include anything that may help you feel more relaxed, such as a pillow, blanket, favorite book, etc.

When will I know the results of my study?

• At the end of your study, your technologist will give you a brief summary of what they saw during the study. This is not a diagnosis. This is just a brief explanation of the data collected. You doctor will follow up with you — generally in about a week following the study — to give you your diagnosis.

How do I schedule a sleep study?

• Any of our referring physicians can schedule a study for you.Our board certified Sleep physicians are Dr. William Winter, Dr. William Hammond and Dr. Elizabeth Foreman. Other physicians that can schedule a sleep study with us include any ENT, Pulmonologist, or Cardiologist that are associated with Martha Jefferson Hospital. Each of these doctors will evaluate your symptoms and help determine if a study is right for you.

Why is it so important to have a sleep study?

• Sleep disorders affect millions of people in this country. Each sleep disorder has its own set of factors which can interfere with daily life, worsen or even lead to other health conditions. Sleep Apnea for example can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, heart attack and in some extreme, untreated cases death. Having sleep disorders treated not only allow you to feel refreshed and awake during the day, but also allows you to be healthier.