Sleep Program

Sleep Studies

Valley County Health System offers three types of sleep studies: a Sleep Clinic located inside the hospital that features state-of-the-art equipment and is under the professional direction of respiratory therapists from Whitney Sleep Diagnostics and Consultants, as well as two types of in-home sleep studies. 

What is a Sleep (Clinic) Study?

A sleep study is a seven to eight-hour (overnight) recording of physical changes that occur while a person sleeps. The person’s brain activity, heart rate, leg movements, oxygen levels, and breathing are tracked during a sleep study. At VCHS's Sleep Clinic, sleep studies are performed in a comfortable, private sleep room. Sleep studies are covered by Medicare and most major insurance plans. A sleep study is performed to evaluate possible sleep disorders such as insomnia, hypersomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, breathing difficulties during sleep, behavior sleep disturbances such as sleep walking, bedwetting, or snoring and night terrors.

What is an In-Home Sleep Study?

In-home sleep studies (Type II and Type III) allow patients to complete their sleep study in the comfort of their own home. VCHS provides the patient with the WatchPAT 300 device, which is a home sleep-testing device, to complete the overnight test. The wrist watch size device straps around the patient's wrist, and comes with an oxygen sensing probe to be worn on a finger, and a snore sensor to apply to the patient’s sternum while they sleep. This device tracks breathing, heart rate, body position, snoring, and oxygen saturations to evaluate possible sleep disorders. VCHS Respiratory Therapist Jackie Gates meets with patients before the in-home sleep study to explain the device and then results are either relayed by the ordering physician or you will be referred to Whitney Sleep for a follow-up.

Do I need a sleep study?

If you’re tired during the day or aren’t able to get a good night’s sleep, a sleep study could help determine the cause. The study can find out if snoring or episodes of restricted or obstructed breathing are waking you up during the night. It can also help identify specific medical reasons that may be causing you to experience poor sleep and remain tired throughout the day

For more information, view the VCHS Sleep Clinic brochure or call 308.728.4309.