Sleep Testing and Monitoring

Abstract

The phenomenon of sleep has captured the imagination of humans for centuries. For a lay person with no particular knowledge of sleep pathophysiology, “sleep study” often implies what is known to the specialists as nocturnal polysomnogram or PSG. Although this is true in the vast majority of the times, sleep study is not limited to nocturnal polysomnogram but also includes many other sophisticated tests, such as Multiple Sleep latency Test (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), etc. The technology to measure various physiological parameters has evolved over the years and today the methodology used for conducting various sleep studies is perhaps one of the most sophisticated in the medical sciences. Depending on the nature of symptoms, the physicians may order different tests to make the diagnosis and/or treat various sleep disorders. In addition, to the various in-lab sleep studies, other diagnostic tests that may be used in the diagnosis of sleep disorders include home sleep monitoring, actigraphy, etc.

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