Home Sleep Testing

What is Home Sleep Testing?

If your symptoms suggest you have sleep apnea, you need to have a sleep study to verify your diagnosis and determine the severity of the apnea. You can have a sleep study in Prime Pulmonary & Sleep Center’s on-site sleep center, or you may qualify to do your sleep testing at home.

Will I qualify for Home Sleep Testing?

Most people who may have obstructive sleep apnea qualify for a home sleep study. However, your provider may want you to come into the clinic for a sleep study if your symptoms suggest another type of sleep disorder, such as:

• Central sleep apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Insomnia
• Parasomnias
• Circadian rhythm disorder
• Nocturnal seizures
• Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD)

Prime Pulmonary & Sleep Center also recommends supervised sleep studies for people with heart conditions and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

What happens during Home Sleep Testing?

Prime Pulmonary & Sleep Center gives you a home sleep study kit. There are two types, one that you return to the doctor and a disposable kit that you throw away after finishing your testing.

The home sleep test kit includes:

Portable monitor

The monitor is a small device that records the information obtained from the finger clip, chest belt, and nasal cannula.  

Finger clip

You place this over your finger, where a sensor measures the oxygen levels in your blood.

Chest belt

This belt goes around your chest, where it detects movement that reflects your breathing. The chest belt also holds the portable monitor.

Nasal cannula

A cannula is a slim, lightweight tube with two prongs that go into your nose. This part of your home sleep test measures airflow.

What happens after Home Sleep Testing?

Depending on the type of device, you may need to download the information using a smartphone, or you return the monitor, and your provider downloads the data in the office.

The results tell how many apnea episodes you have while sleeping. An apnea episode occurs when you stop breathing for at least 10 seconds. Your provider also looks at how much your oxygen levels drop during apnea episodes.

The number of apnea episodes you have per hour tells your provider at Prime Pulmonary & Sleep Center if you have obstructive sleep apnea and, if so, whether it’s mild, moderate, or severe. They then base your treatment on apnea severity.

If you have symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, don’t wait to seek help; call Prime Pulmonary & Sleep Center, or book an appointment online today.