Tag Archive for: sleep issues

Walking You Through A Night In A Sleep Study

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Over 60 million people suffer from sleep disorders that hurt their health and jeopardize their safety. In addition to that, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims over 1,500 lives are lost every year from traffic accidents due to lack of sleep. Looking at the facts above, it’s impossible to disagree that finding out what causes your sleep problems – aka participating in a sleep study – is crucial to your health.

Now let’s imagine: your doctor has ordered a sleep study to find out what causes your insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, etc., and you’re wondering what a sleep study involves and why you need to have one in the first place. It’s a legitimate question, one we hear from patients all the time, so that’s why we’re walking you through exactly what a sleep study is and the various aspects that it involves.

Why You Should Participate In A Sleep Study

When you have trouble with snoring, waking up frequently, or are tired when you get up in the morning, you are a perfect fit for a sleep study. Moreover, if you experience restless leg syndrome or your insomnia lasts more than two weeks, it’s time for you to find the cause. Problems associated with sleep require medical attention because you never know what damage they can cause or how they will affect your body.

At first, you often don’t experience any major health issues, except for being sleepy and lacking energy and concentration most of the time you are awake. But once the sleep-related stress accrues in your body, the reaction is always unpredictable and can cause serious unexpected life problems. Sleep studies are one of the best ways to identify any sleeping disorders you may be struggling from and will help give your doctor a better idea of how to create a tailored treatment plan to resolve your specific symptoms.

What Is A Sleep Study?

A sleep study is a non-invasive procedure that requires you to sleep one or two nights at the clinic. During the procedure, the sleep technologist will monitor your organism to identify what causes your sleep disorder and what treatment options would be the most responsive to your system. 

Sleep Study Highlights: How It Works

  • Before the sleep study, you will have to fill out the new patient sleep form and disclose a complete medical, surgical, and sleep history.
  • Many insurances cover sleep studies, so be sure to list your plan in the form and talk to the staff about your coverage before the study begins.
  • After the initial consultation, you will be admitted to a sleep study.
  • You should bring your everyday medications and comfortable sleeping attire with you to your sleep study. If you normally have a snack or drink before bedtime, please bring that as well. Unfortunately, family and pets are not allowed to stay with you during a sleep study.
  • Don’t worry about your comfort, we’ve got you covered! Our sleep study rooms are designed as personal bedrooms with a bed, TV, and refrigerator. 
  • You will arrive at 8:45 p.m. and leave at 6 a.m. the next morning.
  • Overnight you will be monitored by a sleep technologist who places electrodes and monitors on different parts of your body. A sleep technologist will monitor your brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone, heartbeat, lungs, and breathing during the entire night. The information recorded will help the physicians to make a precise diagnosis and figure out what causes your sleep issues in particular.
  • When a diagnosis is made, your physician may want you to undergo another sleep study in order to determine the best treatment for your condition.
  • The second study that would determine the best treatment uses a CPAP machine that provides continuous positive airway pressure. The process helps to find the right air pressure to eliminate your sleep interruption.

Where To Undergo A Sleep Study

Finding the right center for a sleep study might be quite challenging, as it requires a lot of preliminary research and preparation. Considering various options, don’t forget to check out our Florida Sleep Disorder Center that provides sleep studies and help you to get to the root of the problem. Additionally, if you want to find comprehensive treatment for your sleep disorder, just call the Florida Sleep Disorder Center to make an appointment for a sleep study. Our certified personnel will be happy to address any questions and concerns regarding your sleep and much more.

Sleep Study Costs: Does Insurance Pay for Sleep Studies?

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Polysomnography? Oh gosh, that sounds expensive.

Well really, it is just the fancy word doctors use for a sleep study. Sleep studies are overnight exams that doctors conduct to diagnose sleep disorders. During the study, REM cycles, non-REM cycles, oxygen levels, eye movements, and heart rates are all observed by our sleep specialists who evaluate any issues the patient has during sleep. The most common sleep disorders our doctors find in patients during sleep studies are insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy.

So, if sleep studies help answer important questions about a patient’s sleep health and are integral to creating a treatment plan… does insurance cover the sleep studies and if not, how much do the studies cost?

How much does a sleep study cost?

Yes, sleep studies are usually covered by health insurance.

Most sleep disorder centers are just like a regular doctor’s office and accept multiple insurance plans. This can make the entire process of going through a sleep study much easier, though it is always smart to check with your insurance company and plan first to see if they cover sleep study costs. Insurance companies are there to help, so never be afraid to ask questions.

There is no real estimate of how much a sleep study could cost. Some sleep disorder clinics could charge as little as $600 while some charge up to $5,000 a night. Because of the varying prices of studies, the amount of money insurance covers also varies.

When a patient pays their deductible for their insurance can affect how much money they are paying out of pocket as well.

Co-Payments for Sleep Studies

Co-payments are always due at the times of service, however. These co-payments can vary depending on the services being provided and how often they are being provided. These co-payments are not covered by any insurance plans and can be made with cash, check, or credit card.

Other Fees

Other fees that can come up while going through the process of a sleep study are ones that come with further testing. The doctor might want x-rays or labs that some insurance companies might not cover. Once again, it is always smart to check first, so there is no surprise when the bill comes.

The Importance of Sleep

If an insurance company is giving a patient a hard time, most sleep disorder centers will help back up the patient on the importance of the process. Not only does sleep help mental health, but it is also important for a person’s physical health. Sleep deficiency caused by disorders is found to increase heart and kidney disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Sleep studies that pinpoint a patient’s problem can be the first step in the process to prevent these further and more serious issues.

Fees Down the Road

Remember, a sleep study is to figure out what is going wrong with your sleep cycle. Because of this, there could be more fees for treatment, medication or other types of solutions. Sleep Apnea, for example, requires additional sleep studies and tests because of the severity of the problem. Keep this in mind and plan ahead with your insurance company.