This test is regarded as the gold standard for diagnosing the causes for sleep disorders. In this test a number of physiological variables are recorded and measured during sleep. The physiologic lead placed on the patient record brain electrical activity, jaw and eye movement, leg muscle movement, airflow, EKG and oxygen saturation. The information gathered from the leads is fed into a computer that generates a series of waveform tracings. The technician reads the waveforms, assigns score for the test and further assists in the diagnostic process. This test also diagnoses sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea and parasomnias and helps in ruling out other possible causes of insomnia.

Often a daytime multiple sleep latency test is done after an overnight sleep study. The test begins two hours after waking up in the morning. However, it is painless takes about seven hours to complete. It is a single test that contributes to the patient’s total medical evaluation. The test records the patient’s heart rate, brain waves, eye movements and muscle activity. The test detects any sleep architectural abnormalities in association with narcolepsy. Electrodes are applied on the patient with tape or liquid under the chin, around the eyes and around the shoulders. This test identifies disorders like excessive daytime sleepiness and is also useful to detect disruption of sleep and other sleep related disorders.

Actigraphy is associated with the assessment of activity patterns by devices that are used to record body movements. Information regarding periods of sleep or wake are interpreted by computer algorithms. This test can also be used to assess sleep and wake disturbances associated with diseases or disorders like attention-deficit or hyperactivity disorder, asthma, chronic fatigue, stroke and advanced cancer. The device used in this test is small and resembles a wrist-watch. It monitors movements and records their pattern. It is very effective in determining the reasons causing insomnia.

Certain questions may be asked by the sleep specialist about the patient’s health and symptoms. He may even question the sleep partner regarding certain symptoms about the patient such as snoring or movement during the night as the patient is unaware about certain things while he is sleeping. Some of the queries patients confront are how long has the insomnia lasted, does the patient have trouble falling asleep or staying awake or does he get up very early in the morning, possible causes that might have led to the insomnia such as stress, relationships, monetary problems or other factors, what time the patient goes to sleep, description of the patient’s bedroom, etc.

In this test, the patient is given a complete physical exam by the sleep specialist. The symptoms that the doctor looks out for are enlarged nostrils, a narrow throat or a deviated nasal septum. These can lead to sleep apnea and ultimately to insomnia.

For about a week or two the doctor will be asking the patient to fill out a sleep diary. The patient records information like the quantity and quality of nighttime sleep and daytime naps including the time when the patient goes to bed, the time he takes to fall asleep, the number of times he wakes up during the night, the amount of sleep he gets during the night, the time he got out of bed, etc.

Designed to measure a patient’s ability to stay awake, in this test, the patient is given four nap opportunities each of which lasts for about forty minutes. During these periods the patients is asked to try to stay awake. People who do not suffer from excessive sleepiness will be able to stay awake.