Strategies To Employ When You Visit A Sleep Clinic For An Overnight Test
Posted on: 28 December 2017
If you've booked an overnight session at a sleep clinic, you'll likely be excitedly anticipating learning more about how you sleep so that you can work on improving your sleep quality. Sleeping at the sleep disorder clinic while technicians monitor you in a variety of ways will be informative, but you'll want to do all that you can to mimic how you sleep at home. For example, if how you sleep at the clinic is drastically different than how you sleep at home, your session won't be as useful. Here are some strategies that you can employ when you visit the sleep clinic for your testing.
Try To Stick To Your Patterns
It's a good idea to make your clinic sleep as realistic as possible, and this begins with thinking about how you craft your day beforehand. You're likely a client of the sleep clinic because you have issues with sleeping, so it's important to approach the hours leading up to your test in the same manner as your everyday life. For example, don't take a nap in advance of your sleep clinic visit if you seldom nap. Schedule your clinic visit so that you can go to sleep at the same time you usually do, and try to eat dinner at the same time as you normally do.
Take Personal Items With You
It can sometimes be challenging to sleep in an unfamiliar environment, so take as many personal items to the sleep clinic as you can. For example, many clients will take their pillow, as it provides a familiar level of comfort. You may even wish to take your own bedding, as the feel, smell, and even the weight of your bedding can all play a role in how comfortable you feel when you get into bed.
Avoid Things That May Impact Your Sleep Quality
To assess your sleep, the sleep clinic technicians need to have you actually sleeping — not lying awake because you feel restless. It's important for you to avoid things that may impact your ability to fall asleep and sleep soundly. For example, try to limit your intake of caffeine on the day of the test. A cup of coffee in the morning is okay if that's your usual intake, but you shouldn't have another cup in the afternoon. Likewise, avoid other sources of caffeine such as chocolate and soda. A heavy meal can also make it difficult to sleep, so try to have something light and healthy.
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