Patients typically come to the Sleep Disorders Center through physician referral, from as near as downtown Chicago to as far away as states throughout the Midwest. Following an outpatient consultation and evaluation typically lasting an hour, patients are scheduled for diagnostic testing, as appropriate. This may consist of a nighttime or daytime sleep study, home ambulatory activity monitoring, psychological testing or other medical tests. Treatment for sleep disorder can usually be arranged through the center, through at-home medical equipment vendors or in coordination with a primary care physician. Long-term follow-up is provided by our clinicians if indicated.

Polysomnography: The most common diagnostic procedure is a sleep study, also called “polysomnography.” In order to precisely monitor sleep and related functions, technicians monitor computer displays of brain wave activity (the EEG), eye movements, the activity of several muscles (EMG), heart rate and rhythms (EKG), breathing patterns, blood oxygen level, and body movements and respiratory sounds through a sophisticated audiovisual system. All sensors are noninvasive and do not cause pain or discomfort.

Multiple Sleep Latency Testing: Certain sleep disorders require objective determination of a person’s level of daytime sleepiness through a series of brief daytime naps. This is called the “Multiple Sleep Latency Test” or “MSLT.” It is always preceded by a nighttime sleep study.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: For treatment of certain respiratory disorders occurring during sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea, patients may require treatment with continuous or bi-level positive airway pressure, also referred to as “CPAP” and “BiPAP.” These noninvasive treatments prevent the upper airway from collapsing during sleep. This allows the lungs and lower respiratory muscles to function normally and to perform the work of breathing during sleep. CPAP and BiPAP require a monitoring night in the laboratory to determine the ideal air pressure to optimize breathing and restore normal sleep quality.

Wrist Actigraphy: Certain sleep disorders require information on the duration and timing of sleep over multiple weeks. This is easily accomplished at home through wearing a wristwatch-sized device that measures body movements to estimate sleep. Activity monitoring is also an important part of monitoring response to treatment for certain sleep disorders.

Psychological Assessment: Personality factors may influence the course of many sleep disorders, particularly difficulty falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep. Simple, relatively brief pencil-and-paper tests can provide additional information to help tailor treatment to individual needs.

Phototherapy: Through properly timed exposure to artificial indoor light, it is possible to reset the timing of the brain’s 24-hour clock, which may improve the ability to sleep and maintain vigilance at the desired times.

Medication: Many sleep disorders require short-term or long-term treatment with a daily medication. Our sleep center doctors are knowledgeable about traditional sleep medications as well as the newest available medications