Home Sleep Study Benefits The patient self-administers the home sleep test, and is able to spend the night in the patient’s own bed in familiar surroundings (reducing first night effect).
Full Answer
What Is an At-Home Sleep Test?
At-home sleep studies can be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. These tests are designed to be convenient and comfortable. With them, you can sleep in your own bed for the test, rather than staying in a sleep lab.
How to prepare for a sleep test?
To prepare for an at-home sleep test, you must obtain the testing equipment needed and review the instructions on how to wear it properly. You may also get assistance from an in-home specialist. Once you are wearing the sleep test device, you can sleep as you normally would. The equipment records different measurements as you sleep and transmits them to your doctor or sleep specialist.
How accurate is sleep apnea test?
The accuracy of home sleep apnea tests ranges widely, between 68% and 91%. The accuracy depends on the type of device used and whether you are at a high or low risk for having sleep apnea. The tests are significantly more accurate for people at a higher risk.
How much does a sleep test cost?
The average cost for a home sleep test in the United States is between $150 and $500. The cost varies depending on your insurance coverage, provider, and location. Keep in mind that you may have to meet your annual deductible before your provider covers the cost.
Can you take a sleep study at home?
Another limit of at-home sleep studies is that they are recommended when moderate to severe sleep apnea is already suspected and there are no other underlying health conditions . If you have a lower risk for sleep apnea, the test might not accurately reflect the presence of sleep apnea, and you might have to take an additional lab sleep study.
Is sleep lab more effective than at home?
Because the sleep lab study gives a more comprehensive picture of your sleep, it is more effective at detecting obstructive sleep apnea than an at-home study. Furthermore, these in-lab tests can diagnose other sleep disorders, including periodic limb movement disorder, REM sleep behavior disorder, and narcolepsy.
Can you get a sleep test at home?
Currently, at-home sleep tests are designed to test for obstructive sleep apnea. These tests are recommended only for people with symptoms that indicate moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. Those with a history of cardiorespiratory diseases, stroke, insomnia, or hypoventilation should do their sleep study in a lab and not conduct an at-home sleep test.
Why do we need sleep studies?
A sleep study provides valuable insight into the causes of a person’s symptoms including which, if any, sleep disorder is present. Sleep studies are also used in people diagnosed with sleep disorders to monitor their response to treatment.
Why is it important to take steps before a sleep study?
Taking steps before your sleep study can help you feel comfortable and facilitate more accurate results.
What happens when you go to a polysomnography clinic?
Before bedtime, a technologist glues or tapes painless sensors to your head and body that will record information. If you need to use the bathroom, the technologist will detach the sensors and reattach them when you return.
How to use sleep apnea test?
In home sleep apnea tests, you will receive a device from your doctor and instructions on how to use it. Before bed, follow the instructions for attaching the sensors and turning on the device. Go to sleep at your usual bedtime. The device will collect data throughout the night until you wake up and remove the sensors in the morning.
How to get anxious about sleep study?
If you are feeling anxious about a sleep study at a clinic, request a tour of the sleep clinic ahead of time. You can also ask about having someone accompany you to the set-up portion of your sleep study. On the day of your sleep study: Follow your usual daily routine as much as you can. Avoid caffeine from the afternoon on.
Why are sleep disorders underdiagnosed?
Unfortunately, sleep disorders are notoriously underdiagnosed 1 because they often develop gradually over time and have symptoms that are difficult to recognize. Accurate diagnosis is necessary to enable effective treatment for sleep disorders.
What to do before scheduling a sleep study?
Before scheduling your sleep study: Speak with your doctor about medications you are taking. Certain medications can interfere with sleep study results, but don’t skip any medication doses without consulting a doctor first. If you are feeling anxious about a sleep study at a clinic, request a tour of the sleep clinic ahead of time.
What is an at home sleep study?
At-home sleep studies [1] are used to diagnose whether a person has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). You can complete the test right at home without spending the night in a sleep lab.
Why do people do home sleep studies?
Home sleep studies are also more convenient for the patient. You do not have to drive to and from a lab, saving you time and energy.
How Do They Work?
Experts estimate that upwards of 25 million Americans [4] have obstructive sleep apnea. Therefore, the need for quality, convenient testing is crucial, and this type of test is growing in popularity among patients. Plus, at-home sleep studies are a fairly simple process.
How much does a sleep study cost?
According to the American Sleep Association, at-home sleep studies cost between 150 and 500 dollars. While many insurance providers should help cover this cost, the patient needs to meet certain health requirements. Those requisites include exhibiting sleep apnea symptoms, and the physician must deem the test a “medical necessity.”
How long does it take to get sleep study results?
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine ( AASM [6] ), it can take up to several weeks to learn the results of your sleep study. After this time, your physician will go over what they found.
What is the third portion of a sleep test?
The third portion of the home sleep test is to measure your oxygen levels. You attach a small oximeter finger probe to your fingertip. The device emits a red light to help measure oxygen levels while asleep.
What to do after a sleep test?
Once you complete the overnight testing, the next step is to return the materials to your doctor. After that, your doctor or sleep specialist will review the results of the study.
What happens when you sleep?
This happens when your breathing is interrupted during sleep, often for more than ten seconds. When you sleep, your muscles relax , including the throat and chest muscles that help you breathe. If you have sleep apnea, relaxation of throat muscles combine with a narrowed airway to interrupt breathing. At-home sleep apnea testing is an easy, ...
Can home lab tests be inaccurate?
If symptoms persist, your physician might recommend an in-lab study. Home tests can sometimes be inaccurate: For instance, your sensors might fall off during the night. At a lab, a physician is on-site to monitor you.
Does a sleep test measure how long you are in sleep?
The sleep test won’t analyze how long you’re in light or deep sleep, for instance. Instead, it will measure pauses in and absence of breathing, how much effort it takes to breathe and whether your breathing is shallow.
Does an overnight sleep study capture brainwaves?
It does not fully capture what is monitored with an overnight sleep study. Overnight sleep studies give a more thorough assessment of sleep issues. They are attended by a sleep technologist and capture many more signals, including brainwaves for sleep, muscle tone, and leg movements.
What is a sleep study?
1) What is a home sleep study? A home sleep apnea test (HST) is a diagnostic procedure to determine whether you have obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is by far the most common type of sleep disordered breathing. Tens of millions of people in the United States have OSA, and medical authorities estimate that 80% ...
What are the two categories of sleep studies?
Indications for a sleep study can be generally divided into two categories: symptoms and co-morbid medical conditions.
How much training does a sleep doctor need?
The average physician only gets one hour of training in sleep disorders during medical school; thus, it is very important to ensure that the doctor in charge of your HST is fellowship trained and board certified. Unfortunately, many physicians who are not fellowship-trained and board certified in sleep medicine have found that attempting to read sleep studies can be a good revenue stream for them. Insist on a fellowship-trained, board certified sleep physician.
How long does it take to become a sleep medicine doctor?
Fellowship-trained, board certified sleep medicine physicians have spent one full year training in sleep medicine and passed a rigorous national examination, thereby demonstrating their expertise in sleep disorders. Only these physicians have the necessary skill-set required to competently read and interpret sleep studies.
What is the sensor in the nose called?
An additional sensor in the nose called a thermistor
Can a technologist fix electrodes during sleep?
No interruptions from technologist fixing electrodes during the night, a common scenario during an in-lab sleep study. Lower cost. Possible higher degree of accuracy, in some cases, when studying people in their natural environment.
Can you do a study in your own home?
The study can be done in the comfort of their own home: no unusual noises, uncomfortable, small mattresses or shared bathrooms
How Does the Home Sleep Test Process Work?
Luckily, the process for getting a home sleep test is relatively straightforward. If you already have a doctor that handles your prescriptions and will read your sleep test results, here’s how it works:
What is a Home Sleep Study?
A sleep study is a test (also referred to as a sleep apnea test or home sleep test) which can help diagnose sleep-related disorders, the most common being Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Traditionally, sleep studies have mostly been done in formal sleep labs. Now, you can do a sleep apnea test in the comfort of your own home.
What Are the Benefits of a Home Sleep Test?
Getting a home sleep test comes with several benefits over the traditional, clinical method:
What Happens During the Sleep Test?
Taking the sleep test can be confusing and sometimes intimidating if it’s a new experience. But, rest assured, hundreds of thousands of people have already done it, so you can too!
What is the number to call for sleep study?
What If I Have More Questions About the Home Sleep Test? If you still have unanswered questions about getting a home sleep study, give us a call at (866) 564-2252 or chat in on our website.
How to do a sleep test at home?
Getting a home sleep test comes with several benefits over the traditional, clinical method: 1 More Comfortable: Doing the test in the comfort of your own home, makes it easier to sleep since you’ll be in a familiar environment. 2 More Convenient: It’s more convenient to not have to drive to a sleep center and stay overnight. On top of that, the at-home tests are much less intrusive. 3 Less Expensive: Since you don’t need a sleep technician and there’s less equipment involved, home sleep tests are more affordable.
Can I Do a Home Sleep Study Without Going Through My Doctor?
Yes, you can! If you’d like to get a prescription for an at home sleep study without visiting your doctor, you can order our Deluxe Home Sleep Test. This option will allow you to get a prescription for the sleep test (and for CPAP equipment later, if needed) from a board-certified doctor in our network.
How to do a sleep study at home?
If you decided on the home sleep study, your doctor can help you pick a home sleep study device that is compact, light, and simple-to-use for easy self-administration. You’ll typically receive: 1 Chest Electrodes (Soft Electrodes That Rest on Your Skin) 2 A Small Finger Oxygen Sensor 3 A Chest Belt to Measure Your Breathing 4 A Nasal Cannula to Determine Your Airflow (Comparable to an Oxygen Mask)
How long does it take to get sleep study results?
Most sleep study results will be reviewed and analyzed in a matter of days.
What to do if you don't sleep well?
If you feel you didn’t sleep well (i.e. you only slept for four hours or woke up at three in the morning and couldn’t fall back asleep), contact your doctor or the sleep lab who furnished you with the equipment. They may recommend you use it for a second night.
Do sleep study belts have velcro?
Some at-home sleep study devices have velcro-secured belts that need to be placed in certain areas, so ensure these belts are in the proper position and fastened. If there are sensors that need to be aligned, make sure they are adjusted properly.
Is a sleep study cheaper than a lab?
It may also be less expensive than a lab test, though this varies based on health insurance benefits. If you have decided to do an at-home sleep study, below is what you can do to make sure your test goes smoothly.
Is it better to do a sleep study at home?
With an at-home sleep study, you don’t need to spend the night in an unfamiliar setting where you may have difficulty falling or staying sleeping. It may also be less expensive than a lab test, though this varies based on health insurance benefits.
Can you use the restroom in the middle of the night?
After everything is set up properly and in working order, you can go to sleep as you would in the position that is most comfortable. If you need to use the restroom in the middle of the night, simply go as you normally would. You won’t need to turn off or remove the device from your body—the device will sense a pause in sleep activity and either exclude that data from the final report or your health provider will know how to interpret the data accordingly.
Why do people do at home sleep tests?
In addition to being less expensive and more comfortable, at-home tests have the advantage of monitoring you in your natural sleep environment.
What is an at home sleep apnea test?
At-home sleep apnea tests function as an alternative to traditional sleep studies, which require you to spend the night at a sleep center under the observation of a specialist. At-home tests are typically used to confirm the suspected presence of OSA. If your doctor orders an at-home test, or you qualify as a test candidate without first visiting your doctor, you will administer the test yourself in the comfort of your own home.
How many people in the US have sleep apnea?
The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project reports that at least 25 million adults in the U.S. are affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form of sleep apnea. As the disorder can lead to serious health complications when left untreated, early diagnosis is crucial. If you're having symptoms of OSA, you may be interested in at-home sleep study options that don’t require you to spend the night in a lab. Read on to find out more about how these tests work.
Can sleep disorders affect physical health?
Untreated sleep disorders can negatively affect your physical and emotional health. Sleep testing can help you get the answers you need to receive the treatment you deserve. WebMD Connect to Care Advisors are standing by to help.
The Testing Process
Benefits of Home Sleep Studies
- Home sleep studies may appeal to you for the following reasons: 1. Reduces “first-night effect”:The “first-night effect” is a phenomenon in polysomnography where patients experience reduced sleep quality. When in an anxiety-inducing environment such as a lab, where you’re hooked up to multiple machines and sensors, it can be difficult to relax and sleep as normal. Ho…
Drawbacks of Home Sleep Studies
- Although home sleep studies can be useful, they also fall short in several ways: 1. Results are not detailed:HSTs only measure your breathing, while in-lab tests record factors such as airflow, blood oxygen level, heart rate, and brainwaves. In-lab tests also detect more than 80 sleep disorders, while HSTs only detect sleep apnea. Also, HST results may show false negatives or be inconclus…
Conclusion
- Home Sleep Tests are a more accessible alternative to in-lab polysomnography, both due to their price and convenience. However, the tests are best suited for high-risk cases. If you worry you have severe sleep apnea, discuss a Home Sleep Test with your doctor to see if you are a candidate. Although poor sleep quality can affect everyone, there are solutions, so you don’t hav…