Now Accepting New Patients, No Referral Needed for most PPO plans:
SCHEDULE NOW
Get clear answers about what happens while you sleep.
Medically reviewed by Ravali Reddy Inja, M.D. | Review date: [Pending confirmation]
PACT Sleep Medicine is part of PACT Pulmonology and the Physicians Alliance of Connecticut network, which is partnered with Hartford HealthCare. If your doctor said you need a sleep study, or you think you might, we can help.
Your PACT sleep physician orders and reviews your study, explains your results, and stays with you through treatment and follow-up. We care for adults and children across Connecticut.
Request an AppointmentA sleep study, also called polysomnography, is an overnight test that records what your body does while you sleep. Small sensors track your breathing, brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, and movement. The results can identify sleep apnea and other sleep disorders or guide additional testing for conditions such as narcolepsy.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, polysomnography is the standard diagnostic test for obstructive sleep apnea. It provides a detailed picture of your sleep by measuring several body functions at once.
You may need a sleep study if you have signs of a sleep disorder that a regular office visit can’t explain. Your sleep physician will decide if testing is right for you based on your symptoms and health history.
Common reasons for a sleep study include:
Suspected sleep apnea. Loud snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing at night, along with daytime tiredness. Learn more about sleep apnea.
Suspected narcolepsy. Strong daytime sleepiness that lasts months, falling asleep at unexpected times, or sudden muscle weakness when you laugh or feel strong emotions. Learn more about narcolepsy.
Unusual behaviors during sleep. Acting out dreams, sleepwalking, frequent leg kicking, or other movements that disrupt sleep.
Children who snore. Regular snoring, restless sleep, or breathing pauses in a child.
A home test that didn’t give a clear answer. If a home sleep test is negative or inconclusive, a doctor usually follows up with an in-lab study.
An in-lab study is also recommended instead of a home test for people with significant heart or lung disease, nerve or muscle weakness, breathing problems while awake, long-term opioid use, a history of stroke, or severe insomnia.
A little planning helps you sleep as normally as possible on test night. Your testing facility will give you its own instructions, which may differ slightly from the general tips below.
Avoid caffeine after lunch, including coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate.
Skip naps so you’re ready to sleep.
Avoid alcohol, since it changes how you sleep and breathe.
Wash and dry your hair, and skip oils, gels, and lotions. These can keep sensors from sticking.
Keep taking your usual medicines unless your physician tells you otherwise.
Comfortable pajamas or two-piece sleepwear
Your usual medicines
Toiletries and a change of clothes for the morning
A pillow or blanket from home, if it helps you relax
For children: a favorite stuffed animal, bedtime book, or comfort item
If you are having a nap test the next day (MSLT), your physician may ask you to adjust certain medicines or keep a sleep diary for a week or two before. Never stop taking medicine on your own.
You arrive in the evening and usually settle into a private bedroom. A sleep technologist, a trained professional who conducts the test, places small sensors on your skin using gentle tape or paste. The sensors do not break your skin and should not be painful.
Sensor
What It Tracks
Scalp sensors
Brain waves and sleep stages
Sensors near the eyes
Eye movements during dream (REM) sleep
Chin and leg sensors
Muscle activity and movement
Chest electrodes
Heart rate and rhythm
Nose sensor
Airflow while breathing
Chest and belly bands
Breathing effort
Finger clip
Oxygen levels in your blood
A camera and microphone may also record snoring and body position. You can still change positions and get up to use the bathroom.
You may sleep less than usual, and that’s okay. Even a shorter night of sleep may provide useful information. Follow your normal bedtime routine and let the technologist know if anything feels uncomfortable.
If the first part of your study shows significant sleep apnea, CPAP therapy may begin later that night. CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, uses gentle airflow through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep. This allows for diagnosis and treatment adjustment during a single visit.
If narcolepsy is suspected, your physician may order a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) following your overnight study. This daytime test usually includes five scheduled naps about two hours apart. It measures how quickly you fall asleep and whether you enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Your physician reviews these findings alongside your other test results.
A standard overnight sleep study takes one night. Most people arrive in the evening and leave early the next morning, after about 8 hours of recording. If you also have an MSLT, plan to stay through most of the next day, since the five naps run about two hours apart and usually end in the late afternoon.
Some adults can test at home instead of spending the night in a testing facility. Your sleep physician recommends the appropriate test based on your symptoms and medical history.
In-Lab Sleep Study
Home Sleep Apnea Test
Where You Sleep
An overnight testing facility
Your own bed
What It Measures
Breathing, brain waves, sleep stages, oxygen, heart activity, and movement
Mainly breathing, airflow, and oxygen
Conditions It Evaluates
Sleep apnea, movement and behavior disorders, and narcolepsy when combined with an MSLT
Obstructive sleep apnea only
Who It’s For
Adults and children, including patients with complex health conditions
Adults likely to have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea without complicating conditions
Used for Children
Yes
No
Staff Present
A technologist monitors you overnight
No
If a home sleep apnea test is negative or inconclusive and sleep apnea is still suspected, we recommend an in-lab study.
Learn MoreAfter your study, a sleep technologist scores the recording. Your PACT sleep physician then reviews the findings and explains what they mean.
For sleep apnea, results include your apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which counts how many times per hour your breathing stops or becomes shallow during sleep.
AHI (Adults)
Severity
Fewer than 5
Normal range
5 to 14
Mild
15 to 29
Moderate
30 or more
Severe
What happens next depends on your results:
Sleep apnea: Your physician discusses treatment options, including CPAP therapy, when appropriate.
Narcolepsy: Your physician reviews your overnight study and MSLT to develop a plan for managing symptoms.
Other findings: Your physician explains the results and recommends additional testing, treatment, or a referral when needed.
Because the same PACT sleep physician who orders your study also guides your treatment and follow-up, you don’t have to start over with a new doctor once your results come back.
Many insurance plans, including Medicare, cover sleep studies when your physician documents a medical need. Your sleep study cost depends on your plan, your deductible, and the type of test you need.
A few things to know before your study:
1
Prior approval is common. Many plans require prior authorization before a sleep study. Our team can help start this process.
2
Some plans require a home test first. For adults with suspected sleep apnea, some insurers ask for a home sleep test before approving an in-lab study.
3
Children’s studies are usually in-lab. Since home tests aren’t recommended for kids, pediatric sleep studies are typically done overnight in a testing facility.
Call our office. Our team can help you understand what to ask your insurance company before your study.
A sleep study, or polysomnography, is an overnight test that records your breathing, brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, and movement while you sleep. The results help diagnose sleep apnea and other sleep disorders or guide additional testing for conditions such as narcolepsy.
You arrive in the evening and usually sleep in a private room. A technologist places small sensors on your scalp, face, chest, legs, and fingers. The sensors don’t break your skin, and you can change positions or get up to use the bathroom during the night.
A standard sleep study takes one night. Most people arrive in the evening and leave early the next morning. If narcolepsy is suspected, you may also have a daytime Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), which typically includes five naps about two hours apart.
Many insurance plans, including Medicare, cover medically necessary sleep studies when you meet coverage requirements. Prior authorization, testing requirements, and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan. Contact your insurance provider to confirm your benefits before testing.
Polysomnography is the medical name for an overnight in-lab sleep study. The word comes from roots meaning “many,” “sleep,” and “recording,” because the test measures several things at once: brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm, breathing, and oxygen levels. A technologist monitors you overnight, and the test is used for both adults and children.
You don’t have to guess why you’re tired. A sleep study provides your physician with real data, and PACT Sleep Medicine helps you understand and act on it. A fellowship-trained sleep physician reviews your study and cares for adults and children across Connecticut.
Looking for a sleep study near you? Start with a visit at our Orange or Guilford office, where your sleep physician can order the right test.
PACT, LLC & PACT MSO, LLC
322 East Main Street, Suite 1B
Branford, CT 06405