Your doctor may recommend polysomnography if he or she suspects you have:

• Sleep apnea or another sleep-related breathing disorder. In this condition, your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
• Periodic limb movement disorder. In this sleep disorder, you involuntarily flex and extend your legs while sleeping. This condition is sometimes associated with restless legs syndrome.
• Narcolepsy. You experience overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep in this condition.
• REM sleep behavior disorder. This sleep disorder involves acting out dreams as you sleep.
• Unusual behaviors during sleep. Your doctor may perform this test if you do unusual activities during sleep, such as walking, moving around a lot or rhythmic movements.
• Unexplained chronic insomnia. If you consistently have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, your doctor may recommend polysomnography.

Risks

Polysomnography is a noninvasive, painless test. The most common side effect is skin irritation caused by the adhesive used to attach test sensors to your skin.

How you prepare

Avoid drinks or food containing alcohol or caffeine during the afternoon and evening before polysomnography. Alcohol and caffeine can change your sleep patterns, and they may make symptoms of some sleep disorders worse.

• Discuss current medication & allergy with the technician before the start of study.
• Don't stop the medicine until asked to do so by your physician.