At NOVA Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Associates our sleep study specialists are dedicated to helping you understand the underlying causes behind your sleep troubles, and the treatment options available to help you get the rest you deserve. If you or a loved one are having trouble with sleep or waking up feeling exhausted despite getting enough hours of shut-eye, book an appointment below or give us a call at 571-367-0000!

  • Offering board certified sleep care in Loudoun County.

  • We offer quality sleep medicine consultations at our affiliate hospital, Dulles, VA based Stone Springs Hospital.

  • Leaders in Sleep Disorder Identification, Treatment and Care.

  • Rated a top pulmonologist on many patient-reviewed platforms.

  • We are in proximity to nearby Dulles Town Center Shopping Mall

 

What is a Sleep Study?

For many, the first sign of a sleep disorder is regularly feeling exhausted throughout the day. The term “sleep disorders” is an all-encompassing term used to describe an array of issues that impact an individual’s ability to fall and/or stay asleep, or that negatively impacts sleep patterns.

The goal of sleep studies conducted at our sleep clinic, or at home under the supervision and guidance of our team, is to first identify if you have a disorder. If one is found, data and observations from the sleep study can help your sleep doctor understand what the underlying causes may be and to order further testing (if necessary) in order to confirm the diagnosis. Once confirmed, your doctor can develop a customized care and treatment plan specifically to address your unique situation.

What Should I Expect During a Sleep Study?

dulles va sleep clinic

Many of our Dulles sleep clinic patients are curious about what a sleep study is and what to expect during the process. What you can expect will be dependent on the type of study your sleep doctor orders. After an initial consultation, review of your medical history and symptoms, your doctor may prescribe one of the four primary sleep studies as the next step in the process.

Types of Sleep Studies

Polysomnogram (PSG) – This study involves an overnight stay at our sleep clinic. During the night a wide range of biometrics are taken including body movements, heart rate, blood pressure, eye movements, brain activity and more. This study is capable of effectively identifying the majority of sleep disorders.

Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) – This study is unique in that it is taken during the daytime hours, with the primary goal of measuring how tired you are throughout your normal day, or in order to determine if your current breathing treatments are working effectively.

Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) – Similar to the MSLT, this study also takes place during the day. The goal of an MWT study is to quantify how alert you are during waking hours as well as your ability to stay awake and alert. This test is useful in determining if your level of sleepiness is a safety concern.

Home Sleep Test – As the name suggests this test is carried out in the comfort of your own home. When visiting our sleep clinic you will be provided with a small device and instructions on how to use it. This device is not as accurate nor measures as many biometrics as an “in clinic” test, but is able to correctly identify moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Determining the Right Sleep Disorder Treatment

The results of your sleep study will provide key insights and diagnostic information your sleep doctor at our Dulles clinic can use to properly diagnose your condition. Once a diagnosis has been made and validated, your sleep doctor will create a customized treatment plan just for you.

What this treatment and care plan involves will be dependent upon:

  • The type of sleep disorder you suffer from
  • The severity of the disorder
  • The underlying cause(s) of the disorder
  • Any other health conditions you may have

For example, sleep apnea may require the prescription of a CPAP device or dental device to open the airways. Conversely, those suffering from circadian rhythm disorders and insomnia may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy. Others yet may find great improvement with diet and lifestyle changes.

Symptoms of Sleep Disorders

Many patients who come to us do so because they already suspect something may be wrong with their sleep patterns. But what are those symptoms? Are there things you can watch out for that may indicate an issue? There are indeed.

Common Symptoms that May Indicate Sleep Issues:

  • Chronically tired
  • Tossing and turning at night
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Lack of energy through the day
  • Problems concentrating
  • Brain fog/lack of mental clarity and alertness
  • Snoring, gasping or wheezing during sleep
  • Periodic pauses between breathing during sleep

One of the best things that concerned Dulles residents can do is to log their symptoms and daily habits, from diet to bedtime routines in order to help their sleep doctor obtain a full and accurate picture of what is going on. Click here to learn more about Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders and how we treat them at NOVA Pulmonary.

Talk with Our Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists Today

At NOVA Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Associates our Dulles team is ready to help. If you or a loved one suspect a sleep issue may be impacting you or their quality of life, don’t hesitate to reach out today. At our sleep clinic, you’ll get high-quality care from highly trained specialists that care about your well-being and who are eager to help you find a solution.

Dulles Sleep Clinic

Sleep Clinic Dulles

If you are struggling with sleep or tired during the day that is the first symptom of a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders are a medical condition that can affect sleep patterns at night. Many sleep disorders are adverse to your overall health and general well being. The best way to diagnose a sleep disorder is to have a sleep study. But what is a sleep study? How is it performed? What can it tell you to improve your rest? Here we walk you through all of the important things you need to know about sleep disorders, diagnosis, and treatments.

If you’re reading this, chances are you already suspect something is wrong with your sleep. Have you documented your symptoms and what may be causing your sleep issues? Most people recognize the symptoms during the day (tiredness, lack of energy, trouble concentrating, etc.), but may not be able to pinpoint what is happening at night that could be symptoms of a sleep disorder.

One of the best ways to find out what may be happening before a sleep study is to as your partner. Ask if you snore, move fitfully, if you stop breathing and resume with loud gasps or snorts, or any other sleep pattern that seems unusual. Knowing what happens during sleep helps your provider determine the right sleep study and testing for you.

In addition, starting a sleep diary with bedtimes, how long to fall asleep, hours slept, night wakings, grogginess in the morning, day tiredness, and medication, caffeinated or alcoholic beverages consumed during the day. A diary will help you discuss your sleep symptoms with your doctor.

When you’re ready to discuss your sleep issues, you’ll want to discuss your symptoms with a pulmonary and sleep specialist or ask for a referral from your primary care doctor. Bring and documentation regarding your sleep patterns and issues to these appointments. Depending on the symptoms, your doctor can help decide if a sleep study is right for you.

Previously, you would have to look for a sleep clinic that is close to your home or work and stay overnight. Special technology in our office allows you to take most sleep studies home with you! That is a big advantage because you don’t have to stay overnight at a hospital. The testing is also more accurate of what is going on in your home environment.

At our office you pick up your machine and fill out the paperwork ahead of time. We discuss with you the procedures so that you feel comfortable with all of the equipment.

So what are the different kinds of sleep studies? Depending on the suspected disorder, your symptoms and insurance coverage, your doctor will recommend the sleep study for you.

There are four types of sleep studies:

  • Polysomnogram (PSG). An overnight sleep study that measures a large variety of information including brain activity, eye movements, heart rate, blood pressure, body movements and more. PSGs are the go-to sleep study for almost all sleep disorders including sleep related breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, sleep related movement disorders, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias, hypersomnia, insomnia, and many more.
  • Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). A MSLT is a sleep study during the day to measure how sleepy you get or to discern whether breathing treatments for your disorder are working properly. MSLT’s follow a polysomnogram and record whether you fall asleep during the test, and if so, which stages of sleep you enter. During a MSLT you are generally given five 20-minute nap opportunities spaced 2 hours apart while a sleep technician monitors your brain activity and eye movements. A MSLT is used to test for narcolepsy.
  • Maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT). A MWT is a daytime sleep study that measures how alert you are during the day and your ability to stay awake. They are usually performed after a PSG and can help determine if your sleepiness is a safety concern. Results of an MWT can be critical if a person’s job involves public transportation or driving for work.
  • Home Sleep Test. For a home sleep test you show up to the clinic during the day and receive a small device with instructions on how to use it. If moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is the most likely cause of your sleep troubles this is an easy test to diagnose the condition.

It will usually take about a week for the doctor to analyze your results. Based on the findings your doctor will determine the sleep disorder and treatment for your disorder.

If sleep apnea is diagonsed, you may need a second sleep study called a CPAP titration. This study uses the same at-home equipment. However, this time the device will determine the positive airway pressure (CPAP) needed while sleeping to eliminate your apnea. Sometimes this study can be done during the first test if apnea has been previously diagnosed.

The treatments depend upon the sleep disorder and the severity of the disorder from the sleep study. With sleep apnea you may either be prescribed a CPAP device, get referred to a dentist for a specially designed oral device. In addition, there are alternative treatments available.

For other disorders such as circadian rhythm disorders and insomnia, often cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended with a clinical psychologist and behavioral sleep medicine specialist.

Other sleep disorders may be treated with medication, lifestyle changes, treating another medical condition that may be causing it, or a combination of treatment types. As there are a variety of sleep disorders, there is also a range of treatment options. Its important to go to a pulmonologist and sleep specialist to determine the best treatments for you.

Read more about Dr. Aditya Dubey and Pulmonary Treatment out of his office near Dulles Airport and Stone Springs Hospital in Sterling Virginia.

Meet the team at NOVA Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Associates

Dr. Aditya Dubey

Dr. Aditya N Dubey, M.D, F.C.C.P. – Founder

Specialty:
Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Board Certified by American Board of Internal Medicine in the Subspecialities of Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine.  Learn more about Dr. Dubey

Dr. Petra Thomas

Dr. Petra Thomas, M.D.

Specialty:
Pulmonary Medicine
Board Certified by American Board of Internal Medicine in the Subspecialities of Pulmonary Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Thomas

Dr. Arman Murabia

Dr. Arman Murabia, M.D.

Specialty:
Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Board Certified by American Board of Internal Medicine in the Subspecialities of Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Murabia

Rebekah B. Lee, AGNP-C

Rebekah Lee, AGNP-C

Nurse Practitioner.  Learn more about Rebekah Lee

Christine Amorosi, AGNP-C

Christine Amorosi, AGNP-C

Nurse Practitioner.  Learn more about Christine Amorosie

Office Locations

NOVA Pulmonary – Dulles
24430 Stone Springs Boulevard
Suite 200
Dulles, VA 20166

NOVA Pulmonary – Lansdowne
19415 Deerfield Avenue
Suite 301
Landsdowne, VA 20176

NOVA Pulmonary – Vienna
124 Park Street SE
Suite 203
Vienna, VA 22180