1200 North 7th Street, Chariton, Iowa 50049
Phone: (641) 774-3000 | Toll-free: (800) 404-3111 | Email: sdowns@lchcia.com
Are you one of 70 million Americans that has trouble sleeping at night? If so, you’re not alone. Most sleep disorders are treatable once diagnosed, but if left untreated, you may be put at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, depression, obesity, and more. Let Lucas County Health Center’s knowledgable staff provide you with the tools to end sleepless nights and improve your overall health and well-being.
If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, it might be time to ask your provider about a sleep study:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Lack of energy
- Morning headaches
- Memory issues
- Irritability
- High blood pressure
- Shift work
- Insomnia
- Diabetes
- Atrial fibrillation
- Congestive heart failure
- Heart disease
Preparing For Your Sleep Study
Sleep studies generally consist of one-night stays in our sleep lab. The sleep rooms have been designed to be relaxing and are located away from other patient areas of the hospital to help keep sound to a minimum.
On the day of your sleep study, you should:
- Try to follow your regular routine as much as possible
- Avoid napping
- Eliminate the use of caffeine after lunch
- Avoid using hair spray or gel that can interfere with recordings
You will also receive directions from the sleep center regarding medications, meals, and other matters to ensure nothing interferes with the sleep study results.
When preparing to come to our facility, we recommend packing a small bag with items you may need for your nightly routine, including comfortable pajamas, toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.), clean clothes for the next day, reading materials, etc.
Sleep studies are covered by most insurance companies, but they do require that a patient has specific medical conditions to meet the necessity for a test to be conducted. We encourage you to check with your insurance provider prior to scheduling an appointment.
What To Expect
Lucas County Health Center is proud to partner with SomniTech. Your provider will send the referral to them and they will call to schedule your appointment at our facility.
This procedure is non-invasive and painless. After you arrive, a highly trained sleep technologist will attach a series of electrodes that will monitor:
- various stages of sleep and sleep interruption
- eye movement to determine REM sleep
- muscle relaxation/tension
- heart rate
- arm and leg movement
- snoring
- respiration/breathing patterns
- the amount of oxygen carried in your blood (oxygenation)
After the sensors are attached, you are free to move about the room, read, watch TV, etc. until it is time for you to go to sleep. Once the lights go out, a low-light video camera will record your movements so the technologist can see you from a nearby room. If a sensor comes loose or you need to use the bathroom during the night, the technologist will help you move around with the wires.
After the study, the data will be collected and analyzed by our partners at SomniTech. They will use the information to determine your sleep/wake times, sleep stages, abnormal movements, and more. These results will be shared with your primary care provider and will be used to diagnose conditions such as insomnia, sleep apnea, parasomnia, restless leg syndrome, and more.
Home Sleep Test
Our at-home sleep tests offer a convenient and cost-effective option for understanding your sleep patterns. Conducted in the comfort of your own home, these tests provide valuable insights into your sleep health. For most patients, this is covered by insurance.
How It Works:
- Our team will begin by scheduling an evaluation to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for the home sleep test. While this is a convenient solution for some, not every patient is eligible for home sleep studies, including those with heart failure, severe pulmonary disease, and more.
- If it is determined that you qualify, you will be given a home sleep testing device to use overnight and return the following day.
- Following the test, our experts will examine the results and forward them to your provider for review and treatment. If needed, further steps, such as an in-lab study, may be recommended.
