Sleep clinic physicians connect patients to the wearable devices and study their brain activity during sleep.
“We’re looking for stages of sleep, mapping out what one’s sleep architecture or structure is,” said Kaiser Permanente Sleep Center’s Shanon Makekau, MD.
The technology tells physicians if the patient has a sleep issue, such as sleep apnea, which is a disruption in sleep that leads to low oxygen, increased awakenings and stress, Dr. Makekau said.
Using portable devices to monitor patients also lets physicians help more patients since they can track their sleep from home. Kaiser’s Sleep Center has six beds but also has 26 portable devices patients can use.
“The comfort of one’s home is paramount,” Dr. Makekau said. “Then, the data we get is much more reflective of what people are experiencing at home.”
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