Please prepare for this process by thoroughly washing your hair before your visit to the lab. Sensor attachment will be done using a glue-like substance and medical tape. Then the sleep technologist will apply electrodes and sensors, which takes about an hour. Once you are settled in your room, you will change into your bedclothes and complete some paperwork. It is important to arrive on time and to eat before you arrive. The tech will then escort you to your private room. A CPAP (a mask worn over the nose) study is performed to determine the ideal pressure settings for patients who are determined to have sleep apnea from their initial sleep study.Ī sleep technologist will greet you at approximately 7:45PM in the waiting area of the lab located on the ground floor of Medical Building B. Diagnostic studies are used to evaluate whether you have a sleep disorder. There are different types of sleep studies. You will be monitored by a state-licensed sleep technologist all night long. Later, if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, home-based tests also provide an easy way for a physician to check how well your treatment is working.An overnight sleep study, also called a polysomnogram, is a procedure that monitors body functions such as brain waves, heart rate, leg movements and breathing during sleep. However, you’ll need to borrow the monitor from a hospital sleep lab, and you may have to wait a few weeks to get it. You sleep in your own bed, not an unfamiliar hospital bed, and you do the test based on your schedule. But the best part about home sleep test is the convenience. One main advantage of home-based testing is the cost, which runs between $150 and $500, compared to testing done in a sleep laboratory, which usually tops $1,000. These sensors and devices measure your oxygen saturation, heart rate, and airflow, as well as the movements of your chest and abdomen and your position while you sleep. Javaheri.įor the test, you’ll get a small, lightweight monitor, a belt you slip around your midsection, a small finger clip that monitors your oxygen, and an airflow sensor to place under your nose. “Sleep specialists are better versed in insurance-related barriers, and they know how to order testing to avoid problems and delays in care,” says Dr. Or if your health insurance allows you to see a specialist without a referral, you can start there instead. So, if you suspect you have sleep apnea, ask your doctor for an evaluation. If your symptoms suggest moderate to severe sleep apnea and you don’t have any other significant medical problems, home sleep monitoring is almost as accurate for detecting apnea as a night in a sleep lab, she says. Sogol Javaheri, a sleep specialist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Today, about 60% to 70% of sleep studies for suspected sleep apnea are done using home-based tests,” says Dr. In the past, diagnosing this condition always required an overnight stay in a sleep lab. Neck: Is your neck circumference more than 16 inches (women) or 17 inches (men)?ĭiagnosing sleep apnea is less complicated that many people realize. Pressure: Do you have high blood pressure or take medication for high blood pressure?īody mass index (BMI): Is your BMI 30 or above? (For a calculator, see /bmi.) Obstruction: Do you know if you briefly stop breathing while asleep, or has anyone witnessed you do this? Tired: Do you often feel tired during the day? Snore: Have you been told that you snore? Ask your doctor if you should have a sleep study. It helps to have input from someone who sees you sleep.Ī “yes” answer to three or more of these questions suggests possible sleep apnea. The easy-to-remember acronym STOPBANG can help you decide whether it’s wise to talk to a doctor about having a sleep study to determine whether you have sleep apnea. What is the STOPBANG test for sleep apnea? Sleep apnea also can boost blood pressure and may increase the risk of clogged heart arteries, heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, and stroke. Even more worrisome: car accidents are two to three times more common in people with sleep apnea. The resulting daytime sleepiness - a direct result of not getting enough high-quality sleep - can leave people moody and forgetful. High-volume snoring punctuated by snorts, gasps, and brief pauses in breathing is the hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea.Īlthough this condition occurs most often in men over 40 who are overweight or obese, it can affect people of all ages and sizes. If your bed partner complains about your loud snoring, it might be a disruptive nuisance - or something more serious.
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