In Lab: Sleep Study
If you are approved for an in‑lab sleep study, the Sleep Center staff will help you pick a day that works best.
- Confirm your appointment: Please confirm two days before your study. If we cannot reach you, your appointment will be canceled. If you come without confirming, you’ll need to be rescheduled. Make sure we have your best contact information.
- Where to go: Enter the Russell Basement entrance with the blue awning at 1 General Street, Lawrence, MA. You may need to press the button to be buzzed in. The Sleep Center is on the left side of the basement level.
Check-in and setup
At check-in, you will:
- Review admission paperwork
- Provide ID and insurance card
- Return your sleep questionnaire
A trained sleep technician will explain the test. You’ll be connected to sensors on your head, face, chest, and legs. They may feel a little bothersome but are not painful.
Your room has:
- A full-size bed and TV
- Camera and two-way voice connection for safety
What the test measures
The polysomnogram (PSG) tracks:
- Heart rate
- Oxygen levels
- Brain activity (EEG)
- Breathing patterns
- Movement
These measurements help your sleep provider identify sleep disorders.
Pap therapy and split studies
If the test shows you may need positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, you might return for a PAP titration:
- A mask is applied and connected to a machine
- Air pressures are adjusted overnight to reduce symptoms
Sometimes a split study lets the technician diagnose and adjust PAP pressures in the same night. If not, a second night is scheduled.
After your study
When your study ends:
- The technician disconnects the equipment
- Explains next steps
Possible next steps include:
- Another sleep study
- PAP machine delivery to your home
- Follow-up with a sleep specialist
PAP machines: Use nightly to maintain insurance coverage. The delivery company will explain how to use it, and questions can be directed to 978‑946‑8297.
How to prepare
1–2 days before your study:
- Complete your sleep questionnaire
- Pack belongings and paperwork
Day of your study:
- Take all medications unless instructed otherwise
- Bring necessary medications like inhalers or EpiPens
- Bring pajamas, toiletries, and a book or magazine
- Towels are provided
- Leave valuables at home
- Avoid alcohol, excess caffeine, and hair or skin creams/oils
We can assist with:
- Walkers, wheelchairs, or canes
- Help walking or using the restroom
- Incontinence
- Difficulty lying flat
- Supplemental oxygen
- Cardiac or respiratory conditions
- Allergies, depression, or anxiety
- Interpreters or need for someone to stay with you
During your sleep study
- Stay in a private room with a full-size bed and TV
- Snacks and light breakfast are provided
- You’ll be monitored by a trained sleep technician
- No pain, no medication
- Test ends 6:00–7:00 a.m.
If you need special arrival or departure times, let us know.
Discharge and follow-up
When your study is complete, the technician will disconnect you from the equipment and explain the next steps.
Next steps may include:
- A subsequent study
- Delivery of a PAP machine from a home care company
- A visit with a Lawrence Hospital sleep specialist
We will send the results to the doctor who ordered your study. Sometimes a follow-up with a sleep specialist is requested—if so, the technician will let you know. If you had an in-lab study, your PAP machine will be delivered as soon as possible, even before you see a doctor for follow-up.
The company that delivers the machine will explain how to use it. If you have questions, call the Sleep Center at 978‑946‑8297 or the delivery company.
It is very important to wear your PAP machine every night. Skipping nights may affect insurance coverage.
You may also receive a survey to rate the lab and technician.
Lawrence Hospital Campus: Sleep Center
Lawrence Hospital Campus: Sleep Center
1 General Street Sleep Center, Basement Lawrence, MA, 01841