4 posts tagged “sleep study”
Sleep study is often ordered when your doctor / physician suspect that you have sleep apnea. You can find more about sleep study in this category. Articles in the "Sleep Study" category will explain to you the procedures of the study, what to expect, how to prepare yourself for the study and etc.
Generally, sleep study is done by PolySomnoGraphy (or PSG). It is a multi-parametic study which involve the recording of several body functions. Some or all of the following might be recorded during a PSG session:
a.) Brain wave - EEG (ElectroEncephaloGram)
b.) Muscle activity - EMG (ElectroMyoGram)
c.) Eye Movement - EOG (ElectroOculoGram)
d.) Heart rhythm - ECG (ElectroCardioGram)
e.) Airflow - Nasal and oral (nasal cannula and oral thermistor)
f.) Blood Oxygen Level - SpO2 (Pulse Oximetry)
g.) Snoring - Nasal Cannula / Vibration sensor
Recording from the above will generate the following data, which enables your doctor / physician to assess the quality of your sleep, and whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea.
a.) Sleep Stage (Stage 1 - 4; REM; Wakeful...)
b.) Flow Limitation
c.) Apnea / Hypopnea Index
d.) Oxygen Desaturation Events
e.) Snoring events
f.) Heart Rate
g.) Arousals
PSG study is often done in hospital setting. However, a partial PSG which monitors less parameters is also a popular choice for those who are very busy or feel uncomfortable to sleep overnight in hospital. Partial PSG only monitors the few parameters such as snoring, flow limitation, blood oxygen level, heart rate, and etc.
Read more about Sleep Study. Related articles can be found under the
"Sleep Study" category.
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was developed by Dr. Murray Johns of the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. It is a scale widely use by many sleep clinics worldwide to assess the daytime sleepiness of a patient.
A score that is higher than 9 suggest that the person is not getting enough sleep, indicating that he/she might have some form of sleeping disorder. Try this and if you get a high score, you should check with your doctor if you have any sleeping problem.
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EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE (ESS)
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you have not done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you.
Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:
- 0 = no chance of dozing
- 1 = slight chance of dozing
- 2 = moderate chance of dozing
- 3 = high chance of dozing
| Situation | Chance Of Dozing |
|---|---|
| Sitting and reading | |
| Watching TV | |
| Sitting inactive in a public place (e.g a theater or a meeting) | |
| As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break | |
| Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit | |
| Sitting and talking to someone | |
| Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol | |
| In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic |
To check your sleepiness score, total the points:
- 1 - 6: Congratulations, you are getting enough sleep!
- 7 - 8: Your score is average
- 9 and up: Seek the advice of a sleep specialist without delay
I’ve work out a list of hospital and medical centers that are providing sleep study service. This is not a full list and if anyone knows of any centers that do sleep study, please leave a comment and I’ll update the list.
Call up the individual hospital for further information on their service and pricing.
A) Private Hospitals / Medical Centers
- Damansara Specialist, Damansara
- Tawakal Hospital, K.L.
- Arunamari Specialist, Klang
- Selangor Medical Center, Shah Alam
- Damai Heart and Medical Clinic, Melaka
- Adventis Hospital, Penang
- Klinik Medijaya, Kelana Jaya
- Kelana Jaya Medical Centre, Kelana Jaya
- Sabah Medical Centre, Kota Kinabalu
- Island Hospital, Penang
- Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya
B) Government Hospitals
- Institut Perubatan Respiratori, K.L
- Hospital UKM, Cheras
- Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu
- Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya / Universiti Hospital, Petaling Jaya
- Hospital Sungai Buloh, Sungai Buloh
C) Private Sleep Laboratories
- Not available
Polysomnography (PSG) is often ordered by physician when one is suspected to have Sleep Apnea. Neurologist also will order PSG to screen for neurological diseases such as Periodic Limb Movement (PLM). It is often done during the night time but it depends on the patient’s normal sleeping time. At least four hours of sleep data is needed in order to assess whether one has sleep apnea and its severity. There are mainly two types of PSG studies: Partial PSG or Full PSG. Partial PSG involves only the record of respiratory signals whereas full PSG also record neurology signals and ECG. Partial PSG is often used as a screening tool. Patients who are in the risk group or showing some symptoms of Sleep Apnea are put into a partial PSG study. The doctor will be able to confirm the Sleep Apnea and suggest the severity of the condition from the analysis of the Partial PSG. Partial PSG is often a portable study that can be done either at patient’s home or some in hospital settings. Full PSG is ordered when the patient is in a high risk group or when the doctor wants to confirm the type of apnea so that they can prescribe the right treatment. Some Full PSG are done to exclude certain type of neurology diseases. Full PSG is often a stationary study that must be done in hospital sleep laboratory. Cost of the Full PSG is normally higher than a Partial PSG.
