Sleep disorder diagnosis

Diagnosing sleep disorders is important to help individuals get the proper treatment and improve their quality of life, including their mood, daily functioning, and ability to think clearly. In addition to improving sleep, treating sleep disorders can positively affect health, like reducing the risk of heart failure. Diagnosis typically involves taking a clinical history, reviewing medical records, conducting a physical examination, and consulting a neurologist. In addition, laboratory tests are performed to rule out other diseases that could be the cause of the symptoms. A neurological examination and a sleep study called a polysomnogram are conducted to diagnose sleep disorders further. This study records brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing patterns during sleep to determine if there are any abnormalities. Two additional tests that may be done are the multiple sleep latency test, which measures how quickly an individual falls asleep during the day, and the maintenance of wakefulness test, which determines how watchful a person is during the day. The goal of sleep disorder diagnosis is to identify the underlying causes of symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling excessively tired during the day. Benefits of diagnosis include proper treatment and, as a result, improved sleep and increased daytime alertness.