Due to cold rainy weather (and general exhaustion) there was no field trip this weekend, so instead here are some pics from my overnight sleep study on Tuesday January 2nd (what a way to begin the New Year) at Stanford's Sleep Medicine Clinic.
Here's the room I was in. The cabinet contained supplies for getting me wired up with sensors.
The other corner of the room. The cushion of the chair under the TV pulls out into a cot so a spouse or attendant can stay overnight with the patient if needed.
Cameras on the wall facing the bed, so the patient can be observed for sleepwalking, restless leg movements or any other physical phenomena that may contribute to sleep problems. The camera on the left has a little infrared LED emitter just below it to be able to see the patient when the lights were out.
Also, the little spotlight up on the right is aimed at a spot next to the cabinet, where the patient sits to have the wires and sensors attached.
How was I supposed to sleep with all that crap on me?! In addition to what's in the pic, there were also over a dozen electrodes plastered all over my forehead and scalp, as well as a pulse ox sensor attached to my forefinger (oh, and 2 leg sensors as well). I was not allowed to reposition any of that stuff. It had to stay where it was all night long. Good thing I’m not a stomach sleeper.
The next morning I awoke well before my alarm, for reasons unknown. (I am not a morning person.)
Once I was up proper and got unwired from what felt like 20 pounds of hardware, I got a better look out the window. My room overlooked the parking structure, which was all that was between that side of the building and Highway 101 a mere 250 feet away. There was absolutely no traffic noise at all; the room was soundproofed very well.
When I got home and washed all the electrode stickum goo off me, I received a care package from a very kind friend. After a stressful, disruptive night in a stange place several miles from home, it was wonderful to enjoy a special "breakfast of champions" that morning.
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