Home sleep studies may help identify sleep apnea

Although a home sleep study can be used to confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea in the majority of patients, some really should be studied in a sleep laboratory — these include persons with underlying heart or lung disease and certain chronic medical conditions, as well as those who are suspected of having sleep disorders other than sleep apnea. Most importantly, home sleep studies can be incorrect and miss the diagnosis of sleep apnea, or underestimate its severity.

 World's largest sleep study shows too much shut-eye can be bad for your brain

Preliminary results from the world's largest sleep study have shown that people who sleep on average between 7 to 8 hours per night performed better cognitively than those who slept less, or more, than this amount.

A Sleep Apnea Test Without a Night in the Hospital

Ten years ago, I spent two nights in a sleep lab at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, taking the test for sleep apnea, and wrote about it for Science Times. In the decade since my ordeal, the pendulum has swung sharply in the direction of the home test, said Dr. M. Safwan Badr, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which first recognized home testing for apnea in 2007. Insurers prefer it because it costs only about $300, about one-tenth that of a hospital test, and many patients like it, too.

7 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Home Sleep Studies for Sleep Apnea

Most home sleep studies will measure the following 3 types of information: nasal airflow, finger oxygen level, chest/abdomen movement. Other units will also have sensors that can tell your sleep position and snoring levels. In contrast, in-lab studies also include brain wave signals (which determine sleep stages), chin muscles activity, leg muscle activity, and oral airflow thermometer. Comprehensive testing can be done at home, but not very practical, since leads tend to fall off when you move around during sleep.

A Rocket Scientist Explains How a Sleep Study Can Change Your Life

Don't fear the sleep lab. Seriously, if you snore, tell your doctor and if he or she suggests going to a sleep lab to check for apnea, go ahead and do it. We're going t0 take good care of you and the results could change your life.

All about sleep studies

Sleep studies can be done in the patient’s home or at a sleep clinic. Either way, you will need to give your patient a referral or prescription for them to pass on to the sleep study provider.

Beginning of the End for Polysomnography?

So why do I say it is the beginning of the end for polysomnography? The clinical practice guideline still says PSG is the gold standard for diagnosis of OSA. I have three reasons...

Home Sleep Study Kits: Do They Work?

The benefits of HSTs are that you can snooze in the comfort of your own bed versus a lab, it’s cheaper (they start around $250 to $300 versus $1300 in a lab), and more convenient—especially if you live far away from a sleep center.

How I Felt After 70 Days of Lying in Bed for Science

I woke up on December 2, and for the first time in 70 days, I stood up. Or at least I tried to. The nurses wheeled me over to a hospital bed that would be tilted vertically, with blood pressure cuffs hugging my arm and my finger, an ultrasound machine pointing at my heart. Then they told me, with the encouragement that you'd give a toddler learning to walk, to try standing for 15 minutes.

How to interpret the results of a sleep study

The purpose of this article is to provide a simple and easy method to interpret the reported results of polysomnography for primary care physicians. This will facilitate better understanding and management of patients with sleep disorders and related complications.

My Night in the Lab: What a Sleep Study Really Feels Like

Overall, my experience went better than anticipated. I was glad to learn that my apnea isn't severe and I don't need a CPAP. I'm hopeful that soon I can get a dental appliance that's covered by insurance, and that it will help me—and my wife—sleep more soundly.

New Sleep-Tracking Wearables Help Solve Real Medical Problems

Apnea is linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, an additional $3.4 billion in medical costs, and $16 billion in auto collision costs. Even though apnea has telltale signs (loud snoring, daytime fatigue), it goes undiagnosed 75 percent of the time. Why? It's damned expensive and horrendously inconvenient to diagnose sleep apnea.

Sleep Studies

After an initial consultation with your physician or a sleep specialist, you may be referred for a sleep study. The medical term for this study is “polysomnogram,” which is a noninvasive, pain-free procedure that usually requires spending a night or two in a sleep facility. During a polysomnogram, a sleep technologist records multiple biological functions during sleep, such as brain wave activity, eye movement, muscle tone, heart rhythm and breathing via electrodes and monitors placed on the head, chest and legs.

What Happens in a Sleep Study?

This article aims to demystify sleep studies so you know what to expect if you want to make a positive step towards understanding and treating sleep apnea.

What is a Home Sleep Test or HST (Sleep Apnea Test Sleep Study)?

A home sleep apnea test (HST) is a sleep study that is used for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. Most HST devices are portable – about the size of a telephone handset. Home sleep testing is also called ‘Unattended Sleep Study’. The other diagnostic tool for the evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea is Polysomnography. Polysomnography or PSG is a diagnostic test that uses the same sensors as HST but also includes EEG, EKG, EMG, and other biologic measurements in a laboratory setting with sleep technician or sleep technologist.

When is it time for a sleep study?

There are several different sleep disorders that are diagnosed using sleep studies, including sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy.