If you are having trouble sleeping, then your primary care physician may refer you to a sleep specialist. It can be difficult to determine who should be your sleep doctor. Of course, here, we would love for you to be our patient. However, it's important for you to make an informed decision about who is going to handle your sleep health.

There are certain characteristics that you should consider whenever you are choosing a sleep doctor. This way you can get the appropriate testing that you need. Learn about what a sleep specialist is, what training and board certification is required, and how you can choose the right doctor that will provide you with the health that you were looking for. 

Sleep studies normally consist of coming into a lab and have physicians and other sleep professionals watch you sleep for the night. They take various measurements to identify any potentially sleep disorders. When you wake up in the morning, they normally have a lot of data to go through to determine what it is that may be causing you trouble getting to sleep. 

Well in the wake of the pandemic, sleeping in a health facility is becoming increasingly less available. That is why at-home sleep tests may be the best option for you, and it's important that you are aware of what your options are. Continue reading to find out more about sleep tests you can perform at home. 

What do Sleep Studies Monitor?

Sleep studies are important diagnostic tools for common sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, circadian and rhythm disorders. Sleep studies have proven to be particularly important in Alaska where the extreme darkness and lightness tend to either cause or worsen sleep disorders.

What do Sleep Studies Monitor?

Sleep studies are important diagnostic tools for common sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, circadian and rhythm disorders. Sleep studies have proven to be particularly important in Alaska where the extreme darkness and lightness tend to either cause or worsen sleep disorders.

Sleep studies are non-invasive - no poking or prodding or waking you up throughout the night. It's just like normal sleep except you sleep at the sleep center connected to some monitoring equipment. They monitor:

• Brainwave activity
• Eye movement
• Muscle movement
• Heart activity
• Breathing
• Blood oxygen level

The results from the sleep study will help either provide a diagnoses or clarify what (if anything) may be causing concern related to your sleeping habits.