How are sleep disorders diagnosed?
If you suspect
that you may have a sleep disorder, discuss your symptoms with your
primary care doctor. He or she can perform a physical exam and help
you identify the difficulties you are having with sleep. Keeping a
sleep diary for two weeks may be helpful to your doctor. Some
illnesses can cause disturbed sleep, so your doctor may order tests
to rule out other conditions.
If your doctor suspects that you have a sleep
disorder, he or she may refer you to a sleep disorder clinic. A
sleep specialist will review your symptoms and may suggest that you
undergo a sleep study.
A sleep study or polysomnogram (PSG) is a
multiple-component test that electronically transmits and records
specific physical activities while you sleep. The recordings become
data that are analyzed by a qualified physician to determine
whether or not you have a sleep disorder.