Questions about sleep study

Hi Everyone, Happy New Year! I'm schedule for a sleep study in a few weeks, and I was wondering a few things. Can you bring your own pillow? What did you wear? Are they watching you (I have a hard time sleeping if I know someone is physically watching me)? Do you sleep on a regular hospital bed? Do they kick you out at a certain time the next morning? I welcome any comments/advice. Thanks!

I had my study done on 12/11. I brought my own pillow and my body pillow, which I cannot sleep without. They told me I could even bring a teddy bear if I wanted but I don't have one of those! I wore pjs. I recommend wearing something loose fitting, since you have a gazillion wires attached to your head and wires going down your shirt, down your pant legs and attached onto your calves. yes, they are watching you. It's kind of freaky. At first I just laid there and looked at the ceiling. But I was pretty tired that night, and took a couple of Tylenol PMs so I fell asleep pretty fast. The worst part was when I had to go to the bathroom at 1am. You just say "hello?" and the tech responds right away. She had to unhook stuff from the wall, attach it to a special box that she hung around my neck so I could go, then reattached it when I got back in bed. Wake up time is 5:30 am. I took a shower there and then went straight to work. I felt like a zombie all day so if you can go in late to work and go home to catch at least a couple of hours of sleep in your own bed, I would recommend it. The room was sort of like a hotel room - regular bed, TV, desk. The bathroom was down the hall. It wasn't too bad but I am not anxious to do it again. Luckily they didn't put the CPAP on me so I don't think I have apnea. Hope this helps. Good luck! Kathleen

Pretty much what Kathleen said. Where are you having your study done? Thank goodness for being able to take tylenol PM and having a TV in the room. I was told that they watch you closely for like the 1st hour or so and of course they are constantly checking on you and you are being monitored. They didn't put a CPAP on me during my study but the results said I had a very mild case of sleep apnea. Good luck Gwen

I will be having at at Newton Wellsley. So can I take Tylenol PM befoe I go? Or should I wait and ask them for it? Thanks so much for your help.

Take the Tylenol PM on your own, I asked if I could and they said no problem, if I didn't I doubt I would have slept at all. I had this guy Steve that was really nice and funny too. I had a bathroom in my room (nothing to brag about) but if have to go right to work you'll want to shower and get all the gook out of your hair from the leads, it washes out no problem. I brought my own shampoo and stuff and a hair dryer. Good luck Gwen

Hi, I had one, actually 2 because I do have apnea. Even though you don't believe you'll sleep you will. Bring your pillow and wear comfortable clothes. You'll be in your own private room, and they'll watch with a camera. You didn't say which hospital but I was at Memorial in Worcester and it was fine. Be prepared to be connected up to allot of electrodes from head to toe. Like I said, you don't think you'll sleep but you will. As far as their policy of when they kick you out, I'd call and ask these questions of them as well to get a better idea. Good luck and God Bless!

Thank you so much everyone for your responses. It is greatly appreciated. I will be having it done at Newton Wellsley...so if anyone has more direct advice relating to there, I welcome it. Again, Happy New Year. I hope everyone has a great 07. I know that the new start of the rest of my life will begin this year.