My Sleep Deprived Test

Not only is sleep the foundation of overall health and fitness, it's also my priority for controlling my epilepsy. Over the years, I’ve studied the importance of sleep for managing health, emphasising its role in physical recovery, mental clarity, and, of course, prevention of my seizures. However, this time, I intentionally disrupted my precious sleep schedule for an important test.

What Is a Sleep-Deprived EEG?

My neurologist put me forward for a sleep-deprived electroencephalogram (EEG), which is used to record the brain’s electrical activity both while you’re awake and during sleep. EEGs are common diagnostic tools for neurological conditions, especially epilepsy, as they can detect abnormal brain wave patterns linked to seizures. The "sleep-deprived" element adds a layer of stress to the brain, increasing the likelihood of detecting abnormalities that might not appear during a standard EEG after a full night’s rest.

The reason behind sleep deprivation is quite straightforward: a lack of sleep makes the brain more susceptible to irregularities, including seizure-like activity, even if that person doesn't have epilepsy. For someone like me, who does have epilepsy, it increases the likelihood of capturing epilepsy activity on the EEG recording.

The Night Before

The preparation for a sleep-deprived EEG is simple but not easy. My regular bedtime is roughly 21:30 at the latest, and my wake time is 05:30. But here I was, intentionally staying up late to provoke my brain activity. I went to sleep at 01:30 and woke up and stayed up from 03:30. To keep myself awake, I turned to the PS5 and Netflix. All in all, my body was not impressed.

During and After the Test

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what happened during my test:

1. The specialist stuck small electrodes to my scalp.

2. The test started by turning off all the lights and allowing me to fall asleep. I was asleep in a couple of minutes...

3. After waking me up, they then asked me to perform tasks like 3 minutes of deep breathing at a fast pace, as though I was running.

4. Then 3 minutes staring at extremely bright flashing lights that increase in speed.

With my epilepsy, the results of this EEG could provide vital information about my seizure type, frequency, and locations. This data will help my neurologist fine-tune my treatment plans, whether through medication adjustments, lifestyle recommendations, or further testing.

EEG Results

To show you the accuracy of the test, the EEG revealed that my brain shows signs of irritation in multiple areas between seizures, not just the temporal lobe where my benign brain tumour was before being removed in 2008. This means seizures could start from different parts of my brain.

The test showed normal brain activity in the back of my brain when I was awake, with expected changes when I opened my eyes. However, some slower brain waves (theta waves) were seen in the temporal regions, more on the left, which is where the tumour was. Sharp waves, a type of irregular brain activity, were noted on both sides of the brain and were more noticeable during sleep. Basically, my brain has a lower threshold for seizures, with multiple areas that could trigger them.

Reflections on the Process

Even if you're not someone who suffers with epilepsy, my neurologist backed me up by telling me how important sleep is for this. While the lack of sleep was a struggle, the experience was a reminder of why I prioritise rest in the first place. While this might sound alarming, my epilepsy can still be well managed. The test reinforced my commitment to good sleep hygiene, even as I broke my rules to better understand my condition.

Recommended Blogs

If you’ve enjoyed reading about my journey and want to learn more about the connection between sleep, fitness, and epilepsy, check out some of my other blogs:

1. Exercise Against Epilepsy

2. Using the 3-2-1 Principle for Better Sleep

3. Why YOU Should Have a Blood Test