Portable home based sleep studies
Home based sleep studies are suitable for the evaluation of those with a high level of probability for having obstructive sleep apnoea. Some people prefer to have their sleep study done in the privacy of their own home which can be a preference. We can have the staff wire you up at our facility in the early evening allowing you to go home to sleep. If possible organise somebody else to drive you home. Although it is possible to drive a car with the equipment attached, it increases the chance of one of the wires dislodging. Do not use public transport to go home after being wired up. If you are feeling confident, you can pick up the portable equipment at a time that suits you during the day and wire yourself up following the instructions. The equipment needs to be returned the following day to be available for the next patient.
Please note that not all sleep disorders are suited to home sleep studies.
More info and instructions for Home Sleep StudiesSleep Studies at the Laboratory
The Epworth Sleep centre refers to public and private hospital sleep laboratories and selecting one of these will involve a discussion with the sleep specialist
Patients arrive for the sleep study at 7.00pm.
You have a private room to yourself with bathroom/toilet access and a television.
The beds are large, mechanized hospital beds which are quite comfortable. You are welcome to bring your own pillow if you prefer.
A lot of wires are applied to the scalp, chest and legs. Sleep, breathing, heart rate and body position are recorded over night commencing from your natural lights out time. This will provide a comprehensive overview of your sleep patterns which will be incorporated into a report for your specialist to go through with you.
Most people perceive that they do not sleep exactly as they would at home. However, most people sleep enough for us to obtain enough information for a diagnosis. People are often surprised as to how much more sleep was measured compared to their perception.
The setup process for your sleep study will commence just after 7:00pm. You will not be expected to sleep before your usual bed time but the early setup is necessary to ensure all patients are ready by the appropriate time. You can read, use a laptop/mobile phone or watch TV during this process.
A light snack is available in the evening. The test finishes at 6.00am and you are free to have a shower and leave after that. A light breakfast is provided.