#sleepstudy

It’s that time of year again, back to school! However, college first years find that back to school means heading to a new school. Not to worry, even though you’re headed to a completely different place with new people, the tips and advice I accumulated my first year at college will help and make your first year a great one!

Before Move in:

Finish up that packing! Posts here, here, and here have good tips on how to pack. Make sure all your bags can fit in your vehicle, get shipped to your college, or taken on the airplane.

Downsize your stuff if needed. Remember, dorm rooms aren’t very spacious, and having a minimalist room is better than having a cluttered one when you’re sharing the tiny space with a roommate or two.

Message/email your roommate and ask them about the housing situation. Which side of the room? Top or bottom bunk? These things are best figured out before move in as to avoid confusion and conflict.

Take some time to relax and savor your moments at home. Enjoy the space, and hanging out with your family.

During Move in:

Don’t stress! Get situated and start unpacking your stuff. 

If needed, buy what you didn’t bring. Maybe you need more organizers or another towel. Maybe you forgot your shampoo at home.

Help out other people on your floor when you’re done. This is a good way to make friends and make move in a nicer experience.

After Move in:

Get to know your roommate! This person will see the best and worst of you this year. Get to know their interests, intended field of study, where they’re from, and so on.

Have a good time during Welcome Week/Orientation. This time is specifically for you and your other classmates, so be sure to make sure you utilize this time wisely. Ask questions, explore the campus, discover clubs, and learn to navigate the school.

Organize your school supplies. Ask yourself what you need for each class.

Enjoy your last few days of summer break. Read, take a long shower, do a face mask, watch some Netflix, or take a walk around campus.

Go out. This doesn’t mean you have to go wild at a frat party. Gather a few people or go with your roommate and get ice cream or go shopping.

Start your school routine. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Don’t wake up too late. Check out my post here for other tips.

Don’t freak out! Sure, starting college is a big step, and you’re bound to make some fumbles here and there, but hey, you’ve made it this far already. You’ve got this.

Look for a first week of college post coming soon! Hope this helped you all. As always, if you want to see a specific post, let me know via messenger or ask. Have a good school year and study hard.

Sleep study test, also known as polysomnography test, is a diagnostic test that helps evaluate sleep disorders. It checks for an individual’s sleep stages and cycles. Sleep study at home records various physiological activities during sleep in order to find out when an individual’s sleep pattern gets disturbed and the reasons behind it. This test is usually done at home and is a cost effective and conveninent option to check sleep apnea.

By monitoring an individual’s brain waves, heart rate, breathing, eye and leg movements, oxygen levels, and more during sleep, more insights could be gained regarding disruptive sleep disorders and different types of parasomnias. Some of the most common issues for which this test is conducted includes restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and REM sleep behavior disorder.

Why get tested for sleep apnea?

Many individuals face a common problem like sleep apnea. It is characterised by low breathing during sleep, potentially leading to low oxygen levels and sleep disruption. Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include gasping for air during sleep, loud snoring with periods of silence, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, restless sleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and heartburn. If sleep apnea is left undiagnosed it may pose risks such as cardiovascular problems, metabolic issues: Increased risk of type 2 diabetes, mental health issues, worsening of ADHD symptoms and reduced quality of life. A simple sleep study test is a sure way to know what causing disturbances in your sleep.

If you live in Delhi-NCR, you can contact your nearest HOD centre to know sleep study price.

Who should consider this test?

PLMD: Leg jerks/movements during sleep

Sleep Apnea: Breathing pauses during sleep, snoring, fatigue

Narcolepsy: Daytime sleepiness, sudden sleep attacks, muscle weakness

Other Sleep Disorders: breathing issues, insomnia, restless legs

Seizures/Epilepsy: Especially during sleep

Sleep Behaviors: Night terrors, sleepwalking, talking in sleep

Medical Risks:

Obesity/Overweight

Heart Disease

Kidney Failure

Diabetes

Hypertension

Other Risks: Family history, hormonal issues, stroke

High-Risk Jobs: Drivers, air traffic controllers, pilots, etc.

Do an online search with keywords sleep study test near me to find out the diagnostic centres in your vicinity offering this test.

Equipment used for a sleep study

For this test, surface electrodes may be placed on your face and scalp to record electrical signals, generated by the brain and muscle activity. To measure breathing, belts around the chest and abdomen are tied. A bandage-like oximeter is also used to measure oxygen in the blood. These instruments use multiple high-performance sensors to record blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and heart rhythm patterns (ECGs), as well as breathing rate during sleep, to get a clear understanding of how the various systems of the body’s organs work, including the cardiovascular system, brain activity, as well as respiratory system, and muscle activity.

The test may also be used to help find out the causes of sleep talking, teeth grinding, and other abnormal behaviors during sleep.

At-home sleep apnea testing

An at-home sleep study involves using a portable breathing monitor that the patient needs to wear overnight. It typically involves sensors to detect breathing through the nose or mouth and movement of the breathing-related muscles in the chest and belly. Here the breathing is monitored and not the sleep itself. For instance, pauses in the absence of breathing and whether the breathing is deep or shallow, is measured. At-home sleep study test is less expensive as comapred to when it is conducted in a clinic. This test also offers the advantage of the comfort of your own surroundings, meaning high accuracy in readings regarding how you actually sleep.

Preparations

There are no special preparations required for this test and you can follow your regular bedtime routine. It is important to not take alcohol or caffeine before the test and wear comfortable clothing. The technician will set up the equipment, and the entire procedure will be explained to you.

Results