It is not unusual to have a hard time sleeping occasionally. However, if you regularly struggle to achieve restful sleep, you might have a sleep disorder. Sleep studies help identify the reasons someone might not be sleeping well so steps can be taken to improve the quality of sleep. Dr. Jeremy McConnell, the board-certified doctor at Florida Sleep Specialists in Bradenton & Sarasota, FL, can conduct a sleep study on the problem and develop a treatment plan to help you sleep better.

Sleep Disorders

Many different factors can interfere with the ability to sleep well, such as being under stress or drinking caffeinated beverages before bed. Addressing these issues usually improves sleep. However, some individuals are affected by a sleep disorder that makes it difficult ever to achieve restful sleep. Examples of sleep disorders include:

• Insomnia
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
• Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD)
• Sleepwalking
• Parasomnias
• Narcolepsy

Sleep Studies

Sleep studies aid in the diagnosis of sleep disorders so steps can be taken to improve the quality of sleep. During a sleep study, a sleep medicine specialist observes an individual’s sleep patterns to identify factors interfering with the person’s ability to sleep well. Once the specific sleep disorder is diagnosed, a treatment plan can be developed to help the patient achieve restful sleep regularly.

The first step in diagnosing a sleep disorder is a physical exam and consultation to discuss your sleeping issues. The physical exam helps determine if an underlying medical condition is causing sleep problems. If so, treating the medical condition can sometimes improve sleep. If there is no medical condition, the next step is to schedule a sleep study. Our Bradenton & Sarasota, FL, clinics offer sleep studies in your home or the sleep laboratory.

Both at-home and laboratory sleep studies involve sensors placed on the skin, often on the chest and abdomen, as well as on a finger. Sometimes, a tube might also be placed in the nose to measure airflow while sleeping. The sensors gather data about your breathing, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and brain wave activity while you sleep. The information is then analyzed by a sleep specialist who determines why you cannot sleep well.

For at-home sleep studies, patients are given a small portable device with sensors and instructions for attaching the sensors before going to bed. The portable device collects data while the patient sleeps. The sensors can be removed upon waking the next day. The device should be returned to the doctor or sleep specialist promptly so the information can be analyzed.

A sleep study helps reveal why you are unable to sleep well so steps can be taken to improve sleep. To find out if you could benefit from a sleep study, schedule a consultation with Dr. McConnell by calling Florida Sleep Specialists in Bradenton & Sarasota, FL, at (941) 792-8383 for the Bradenton office or (941) 827-0701 for Sarasota.