Princess Alexandra Hospital's Sleep Disorders Centre offers a comprehensive service for adults who have problems with sleeping. We have the facilities to diagnose, treat and follow-up patients with respiratory and non-respiratory related sleep disorders.

Respiratory-related sleep disorders we treat include:

• obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome
• snoring
• chronic respiratory failure and hypoventilation disorders
• spinal injuries and neuromuscular diseases.

Nonrespiratory-related disorders we treat include:

• insomnia (in conjunction with a psychologist)
• restless legs system / periodic limb movement disorder
• circadian rhythm disorders
• parasomnias.

Sleep studies

If your GP refers you to the Sleep Disorders Centre, you may need to come in for a sleep study.

A sleep study is a way of monitoring many activities of the body while you sleep. Simple, noninvasive sensors, which monitor brain, heart, lung and other organ activity, are attached to you prior to sleep. During the study you will sleep in a bedroom adjacent to a room in which most of the recording equipment is operating, and a trained scientist stays all night to observe recordings.

Surprisingly, most people sleep very well. The body sensors are applied so that you can turn and move during your sleep. Generally, you will not be aware that you are wearing the sensors after they have been on for a short time.

If you are coming to Princess Alexandra Hospital for a sleep study, you will need to bring:

• your Medicare card
• your normal bed clothes
• your own pillow
• personal toiletry items (towels and soap are supplied)
• something to read or work on while your study is being prepared
• your normal medications (the Sleep Disorders Centre cannot supply any medications)

All patients are asked to bring in with them (or take as usual) any medications and/or alcohol which you would usually consume before retiring at night. Our aim is to monitor sleep which resembles as closely as possible the type of sleep you would normally have at home.

Please ensure you have washed your hair on the day of your study and have not used any hair oils.

For those patients having follow-up CPAP / BiPAP studies, please bring in your CPAP machine and accessories.