Can I Sleep During An MRI? 

The idea of an MRI scan in which your body slides across a doughnut-shaped machine to and fro is undoubtedly scary and uneasy at the first go!

While some get bothered by the loud noise that occurs during this scan, some panic over the thought of remaining in the confined space within the machine.

Many people wonder about the uncertainty of the process, too! And, that’s where, a prevalent question appears – Can I Sleep During An MRI? 

The answer may surprise you and this blog shall uncover it all!   

Can I Sleep During An MRI?

Yes. You can sleep during an MRI, and in fact, relax enough to doze off! 

Sometimes, in consultancy with the healthcare team, you may even take the help of sedatives to sleep during an MRI scan to avoid circumstances of anxiety and claustrophobia.

There are oral sedatives, intravenous injections, and general anesthesia available for sleeping during an MRI.

However, the use of sedatives during your MRI would depend on your medical history, the level of anxiety or claustrophobia you typically have, and the nature of the MRI scan you are going to pursue. 

Besides, as your MRI scan may last for longer hours, sometimes, you yourself may feel like sleeping off to let the time pass by!

This would largely depend on how comfortable and relaxed you are during the scan and whether or not you feel sleepy.       

Factors That Determine Sleep During An MRI

Some of the factors that determine sleeping during an MRI are as follows!  

1. The Environment 

The environment of the scan room is one of the biggest factors that determines sleep during an MRI. While the loud constant noise of the MRI machine may bar you from sleeping during the scan, many MRI centres offer earplugs or headphones to help combat the noise, thereby letting you relax and sleep if you want. While the enclosed space within the machine feels claustrophobic to some, there are instances where people find it cosy, subsequently going off to sleep. Moreover, some MRI centres even provide blankets and pillows, creating a comfortable scan environment and encouraging you to sleep.    

2. Your Comfort Level  

The second factor that influences sleep during an MR scan is your comfort level. Given the fact that the idea of comfort varies from one person to another, there are cases where people sleep off due to the rhythmic nature of the machine’s sound, apparently because it’s comforting to them.

During the scan, you would be lying down on a flat surface with supports to stay still, and such a position may feel like being in your own bed, which eventually lets you sleep off.

Sometimes, even fatigue can be a reason for you to fall asleep, especially when you live on a tight schedule and lying down for the scan feels relaxing and calm. Some people even get a sense of relief once the scan is underway, and therefore, go off to sleep.  

Is There Any Risk in Sleeping During An MRI? 

No. There are no risks associated with your sleep during an MRI scan. The scan itself is generally safe and painless, and you won’t have any possibility of accident or health issues from sleeping during the process. 

However, the concern is movement. If you move or shift while sleeping during the scan, the image quality may get tampered and you have to get the scan redone.

Yet again, this isn’t a big issue as the radiologist and MRI technician will keep monitoring you throughout the scan and wake you up in case they notice any movement.   

How to Prepare for Sleep During An MRI? 

If you intend to sleep during your MRI scan, here are certain preparation tips to follow! 

1. Although most MRI centres provide gowns to wear for the scan, make sure you wear loose-fitting clothes while coming for your MRI appointment so that you can lay comfortably during the scan. Avoid wearing synthetic, silk, or velvet fabrics. Cotton is ideal! 
   
2. Carry eye masks and earplugs with you for the MRI appointment to ease yourself out during the scan. Eye masks would block light, helping you avoid seeing the confined space and earplugs would help reduce the machine noise from reaching your auditory system. 
   
3. If you have tendencies of acute anxiety or claustrophobia, speak to your doctor about it beforehand and get mild sedatives prescribed.
   
4. When inside the scan room, practice relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation exercises, listening to soothing music, or visualization of a peaceful scenario. This would help calm both your mind and body, consequently letting you sleep. 
   
5. Avoid having caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco before the MRI scan.  Both Caffeine and tobacco are stimulants that stir the adrenaline rush in your body, causing you to stay awake. Alcohol, being a depressant, hampers your brain’s emotion regulation ability, causing anxiety.       

Conclusion for Can I Sleep During An MRI: 

Well, sleeping during an MRI may often not be easy, but it’s certainly possible with proper preparation.

It’s, in fact, the ideal way to get your scan done without any sort of stress.

Not only will sleep help you topple your negative thoughts during the MRI scan but also make the long process seem short and quick for you.

The purpose is to distract your mind, have patience, and derive accurate scan images for faster and better medical intervention. 

Hope the blog rightfully answered your question, “Can I Sleep During An MRI”. If you have more queries, feel free to comment below! 

If your doctor has asked you to get an MRI scan in Chandigarh, don’t hesitate to book your scan from www.mrichandigarh.com.

This platform brings you some of the top NABL-certified MRI labs in the city and can help you fetch a hassle-free scan experience.