Sleep laboratory

Sleep disorders are now a common problem and may pose a serious health risk. The causes of sleep disorders can be investigated accurately in the sleep laboratory. Especially in cases of persistent sleep disorders, it would be meaningful for the patient to stay overnight in a sleep laboratory for further clarification.

At the sleep laboratory in Rudolfinerhaus, the patient spends one or two nights in a hospital room and is monitored electronically (polysomnography is defined as a recording of a person’s entire period of sleep). Monitoring and recording are done in an adjoining room.

What exactly is investigated in a sleep laboratory?

Central and peripheral sleep parameters are monitored with elctrodes:

• EEG
• EOG (measurement of eye movements)
• EMG (Measurement of muscle activity)
• ECG, heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure
• Breath flow, breathing pauses, Snoring events, breathing movements and leg movements

The various phases of sleep that keep alternating during the overall period of sleep are investigated. In the morning the patient is asked further questions about the quality of waking up and the subjective quality of sleep. The assessments, diagnosis and treatment are then discussed with a sleep medicine specialist at a subsequent meeting.

Sleep disorders rarely occur alone; they are frequently accompanied by other diseases. Therefore, at Rudolfinerhaus we work in close collaboration with other specialists to treat the wide range of sleep disorders on an individual basis.

In case you have queries please contact
Head of the Sleep laboratory
Michael Saletu, MD
Specialist in Neurology
www.schlaflabor-saletu.at