Suggestions for Preparing for a Sleep Study?

[jmcd]

What worked for me

- Get up early in the morning so you're actually tired that night
- Plan activities for the day
- Get a massage or facial or other spa treatment that helps you relax (I did a massage but you have to do it early enough to shower to remove all the oils)
- I took my own pillow
- Also took some snacks (fruit for me) because I'd normally have a snack in the evening
- I watched tv but had that not been available would have watched a movie on my laptop

Good luck.

[LoQ]

I'm just saying sleep studies interfere with REM by inhibiting sleep altogether. It's an open question whether for you, a sleep study without sleep aid is more REM disruptive than a sleep study + sleep aid.

I see what you are saying, and that makes sense.

- I watched tv but had that not been available would have watched a movie on my laptop

Thanks for your suggestions, they were good ideas. I think I will consider this one in particular. At my previous studies I did not watch TV because I don't watch it at home, but it may very well help to distract me from what is going on by giving my mind something else to think about. I may have focused too much on the things they are "doing" to me, resulting in too much anxiety. It's hard to not think about something when you have nothing to replace those thoughts with.

[LoQ]

No one talks about this but be sure to take the same precautions about bedbugs when staying in a lab for a sleep study as you would take before staying in a motel.

Sleep labs are like motels in that people come in with their suitcases, stay a night, and then leave. Motels have an increasing rate of bedbug infestations. Unfortunately many sleep labs are not aware of the bedbug problem and don't take any steps to avoid bedbugs (such as not permitting patients to bring their bedding from home).

So check for signs of bedbugs. Take as little as you can with you. Seal your clothing and wash and dry on hot when you get home--just as if you were staying at a hotel. Ask about their bedbug policy. Unfortunately some sleep labs will tell you that they can't have bedbugs because they wash the sheets on hot every night and that they clean the room. This is not sufficient. Hotels do that and they have bedbugs. Protect yourself.

I really am not sure what to do with this suggestion. I can't imagine not taking my own pillow, and therefore, I can't imagine going to a lab that did not permit other patients to bring their own bedding from home.

[LoQ]

I talked to the person in charge of the sleep studies, and I am greatly encouraged. She said the doctor wrote a note instructing the techs not to put leads on my arms and legs (to detect PLMD), which is a great relief for me. She also said that he has a note setting the criteria for adding oxygen to be very low, which means that they will add in oxygen sooner than normal. That also gives me hope. I mentioned some of my other concerns to her, and she said that the techs would be very willing to work to accommodate my comfort needs for sleeping.

It sounds like this is going to be a dramatically different experience for me, and I am not dreading it any longer.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I plan to organize my preparation around them.