Guthrie’s Sleep Disorders Center

Overnight Sleep Study
Sleep is something most people take for granted – they go to bed after a long day and drift off to dreamland with no trouble. But for others, nights are filled with unrest and periods of wakefulness.

Sleep disturbances affect not only the afflicted person’s resting hours, but also their waking ones. As anyone who’s ever had a poor night of sleep knows, the following day may be marked by drowsiness, irritability, inability to concentrate and loss of attention span. Some people who suffer from a sleep disorder may not remember awakening through the night, but will be burdened throughout the day with excessive daytime sleepiness or other symptoms. A sleep disturbance that lasts for an extended period of time – weeks, months or even years – can result in memory loss, stress, strained relationships and even serious health problems.

For chronically troubled sleepers, a medical evaluation often becomes necessary. This may involve a sleep study, an overnight observation in a monitored sleep environment. The patient’s brainwaves, breathing, cardiac responses and motion are continuously monitored electronically and by video. These readings are recorded by a computer which, at the end of the study, prints a complete record. The resulting printout following a full night of sleep is then scored by a polysomnographic technician, who checks for periodic wakings, lapses in breathing and changes in brainwaves or heart rhythms. Following the sleep study, the patient’s results are evaluated and a treatment is recommended by the interpreting physician. Guthrie’s Sleep Disorders Center at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre has four sleeping rooms and can accommodate sleep study patients five days a week. For patient convenience, Guthrie also performs sleep studies at Troy Community Hospital in Troy, PA, and at Corning Hospital in Corning, NY. If you have difficulty sleeping or suspect that you have a sleep disorder, see your primary care physician or contact Guthrie toll-free at 1-888-4GUTHRIE.