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Return your equipment at the time and to the location predetermined by your medical providers, unless you have a disposable test such as the WatchPAT One. Once the sleep lab or clinic receives the equipment, they will download and analyze the collected data. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends this be done manually by a trained specialist instead of relying on algorithms. Follow the instructions provided as you put on any sensors, such as a pulse oximeter on your finger, nasal cannula in your nostrils, and a band around your chest.
If you struggle to sleep well and think breathing issues may be the cause, you should talk with your Baptist Health physician. They can discuss sleep apnea testing options and refer you to the experts in our Sleep Center if appropriate. If you prepared properly the day before, then the day of your at-home sleep study can be a relative breeze. There are a few ways you can ensure you get a good night of sleep results. First, avoid any kind of caffeine for at least 24 hours before your study. This will ensure you are able to fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
How to Prepare for a Home Sleep Study
You should have a prescription from a doctor to obtain the home sleep apnea test. First, you need to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or a sleep specialist, who will ask you about your symptoms and pre-screen you for obstructive sleep apnea. Then, based on their assessment, they can order the prescription for you and explain how to use the testing kit.
The added convenience is significant for patients who would otherwise need to add travel distance and time away from work to complete their evaluations. The cost of most home sleep apnea testing in the U.S. falls between $150 to $500. If you have a straightforward case of moderate or severe sleep apnea and no other health conditions, then a home sleep apnea test might be right for you. If you have any reason to believe you need a more comprehensive test, then it might be worthwhile to skip the home test and go directly to the sleep lab. Untreated sleep disorders can negatively affect your physical and emotional health.
The Night of Your Home Sleep Study:
If your sleep report shows that you do have sleep apnea, the physician will provide a prescription for a CPAP machine or recommend other therapy as needed. The data from the device is downloaded within minutes and then uploaded to the cloud so that it can be reviewed by a doctor. You will receive a test report and have the opportunity to discuss the results with a sleep coach. For people who are being treated for OSA, testing can provide data about whether breathing during sleep has improved. At-home testing can also be used to monitor how a patient’s sleep apnea changes over time.
However, some lifestyle changes and home care can also improve your quality of life and your sleep. For measuring your breathing, one belt should be around your chest. Dr. Foldvary–Schaefer explains, "Then turn it all on, sleep well, get up at morning and take it off. Then ship it back." So the home sleep test works well. Once you are wearing the device properly, turn it on when you get into bed even if you don’t fall asleep right away.
Sleep apnea
Home sleep apnea tests are generally type 3 or 4 tests, which collect less data. The number of devices used in your home sleep apnea test depends on if your medical provider orders a type 3 or type 4 study. When undergoing a home sleep apnea test, you generally have to pick up special equipment from your doctor’s office or a sleep clinic. Then, you carefully follow the instructions provided regarding how to use the various test devices given to you. You sleep as you usually would, except with specific devices connected to your body to collect data, for at least one night. During this test, you're hooked up to equipment that monitors your heart, lung and brain activity, breathing patterns, arm and leg movements, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep.
A key element of the test report is the apnea hypopnea index or the respiratory disturbance or respiratory event index . These summary measurements are an indication of the number of breathing-related sleep disruptions that you experienced per hour during sleep or during the total time of the test. Overall, people were pleased with the timeliness of the shipments as well. Once it’s determined that you should get tested, you can order your at-home kit, which will be shipped to your door.
Still Not Convinced You Need a Sleep Study?
The test itself comes in a sterile kit featuring the equipment you need to measure your breathing, oxygen levels and heart rate. It’s important to disclose your health history to your physician to assess whether or not you’d be a good candidate. Typically, you’ll have an actionable prescription within a week of completing your home sleep apnea study. Many sleep studies are done in a sleep lab and comprehensively measure disturbances in your sleep.
Prescribed medications and sometimes surgery are part of the necessary approaches to treat this condition. Dr. Foldvary -Schaefer says that an at-home test for sleep apnea can detect high-probability obstructive sleeping apnea. Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer says the three most common signs of sleep apnea are snoring and fatigued during the day.
At-home tests are approximately 21 percent of the cost of an in-lab test. The more relaxed you are, the better the technician can monitor your sleep. Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007.
Once you have your results, the same physician will review them and provide a personalized sleep report complete with prescription and treatment recommendations. Around 10% to 30% of people have obstructive sleep apnea , a sleep-related breathing disorder that causes temporary pauses in breathing during sleep. Anyone who suspects that they may have OSA because they snore, feel tired, or do not have access to or have to wait for a lab sleep study appointment may want to try it.
Obesity, specifically in the upper body, can increase the risk of airway obstruction and narrow nasal passages. These obstructions can cause you to stop breathing suddenly or for lengths of time while sleeping. If you don't get treatment for sleep apnea in the right way, it can cause serious problems.
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