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Getting an EEG done might be an unsettling process, especially if you’ve never had one done before. The EEG technician that comes to your home will be able to answer any questions you may have and will walk you through the entire process. In addition, the benefits of having an in-home EEG done greatly outweigh having to have one done in the hospital; you get to sleep in your own bed, you don’t have to eat the gross hospital food, and you are free to go about doing the things you enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Here are some tips and tricks on how to sleep with an ambulatory EEG:
- Keep the room a few degrees cooler than you’d normally keep it
- If you are a warm sleeper, it may be a good idea to omit extra blankets or the comforter you normally use so you don’t sweat
- You can remove the chin strap, just remember to put it back on in the morning
- Pretend the wires are like a ponytail and keep them behind you while you sleep
- Make sure there is enough slack with the wires so they do not pull – to do this, put the Trackit bag up near your head
- Don’t risk the Trackit bag falling off the bed – keep it on above your head/pillow, between your pillows in the middle of the bed, or on the wall side of the bed if the bed is against a wall
- If you don’t move around a lot during the night, you can hang the Trackit off a bedpost/coat rack/chair next to your bed
- Keep the Trackit bag away from cell phones, and electronic devices like remote controls, laptops, gaming controllers, etc. as it can cause interference on the EEG
- Silk really does help the wires to glide across a pillow instead of getting caught – If you have one, a silk or satin pillowcase, scarf, sleep bonnet, or durag can help
- Do not tap or scratch your head – if the wrap is extremely itchy, use a hand-held fan or step outside for a minute during the winter months to cool your scalp
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated – hydration is key to reducing itch
- Call the monitoring hotline if you feel that the headwrap is too tight and they can instruct you on how to loosen it
No matter where you have your EEG test done, getting a good night’s sleep with an EEG head wrap can be tiresome. By following these tips and tricks, the testing process can be a bit easier, and you’ll ensure quality data is being transferred while you sleep.
Rest assured Stratus’ techs are well trained to keep the electrodes secure. There are multiple layers such as paste, tape, and gauze to keep them in place while you sleep. If for some reason one comes loose, and a monitoring technician can’t assist you over the phone, we will dispatch a local tech to fix it.
