Polysomnography, or a sleep study, is a noninvasive, overnight diagnostic test that records brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing, and eye/leg movements to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and insomnia. Sleep problems are far more common than most people realize. At our Department of Pulmonology, we see patients every week who have struggled for years, snoring loudly every night, waking up exhausted despite eight hours of sleep, or being told by their spouse to "get that checked." Many have already tried home remedies, changed pillows, and lost weight. Some arrive referred by cardiologists because their blood pressure simply won't settle despite three medications. The common thread, often, is a sleep disorder that has never been formally diagnosed. Polysomnography, or a sleep study, as most patients call it, is the investigation that finally gives us answers.
It's a comprehensive overnight test that monitors what your body does while you sleep, not just snoring. The equipment simultaneously tracks:
Consult the best polysomnography doctors in Navi Mumbai at UMC Hospitals for details of a sleep study.
The most frequent reason patients are referred for a sleep study is suspected OSA. In this condition, the soft tissues of the upper airway, the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the lateral pharyngeal walls collapse inward during sleep. Airflow is blocked for 10 seconds or longer, sometimes 30 to 60 seconds, and this may happen dozens or even hundreds of times a night. The brain briefly rouses itself each time to restore breathing. Most patients have absolutely no memory of these awakenings.
The classic presentation is a middle-aged individual, often with a neck circumference above 40 cm and a BMI above 30, who snores heavily and feels unrested every morning. But OSA is regularly diagnosed in women (especially post-menopausal), in younger patients with retrognathia or enlarged tonsils, and in people who are not particularly overweight.
Common symptoms to watch for include:
This is where the conversation becomes serious. Untreated moderate-to-severe OSA, defined as more than 15 apnoeic events per hour, is associated with a significantly elevated risk of:
These are not theoretical risks. They are outcomes we regularly see reversed, or at least stabilized, once the sleep disorder is properly identified and treated.
Polysomnography is not limited to OSA. It is used to evaluate and diagnose:
Patients are typically admitted to the sleep lab between 8:00 and 8:30 PM. Here is a step-by-step of what the evening looks like:
Nothing is invasive. No needles, no dye, nothing inserted into the body.
Polysomnography, commonly called a sleep study, is an overnight diagnostic test that records brain activity, breathing patterns, oxygen levels, heart rhythm, and body movements while you sleep. It is the gold standard investigation for identifying sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea, periodic limb movement disorder, and REM sleep behaviour disorder, helping clinicians arrive at an accurate diagnosis and plan the right treatment. Consult experts at UMC Hospitals, the best hospital for sleep study in Navi Mumbai, for the best polysomnography test.
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