Home Sleep Apnea Tests
Home Sleep Apnea Tests
The Consultation
Typically before a home sleep test is ordered, you will need to have a consultation with a sleep specialist or be screened by a physician.
During your consultation, the physician will review your sleep concerns, symptoms, past medical history, and anything else that may be relevant or effecting your sleep. Based on this information, the physician will decide if a sleep study is necessary for diagnosis and/or treatment. Home sleep tests are typically reserved for patients with a high pretest probability for sleep apnea.
The Sleep Study
- Equipment pick-up: You will be asked to come to the sleep lab or clinic to pick-up your home sleep test.
- Equipment setup: You will be provided with detailed instructions on how to setup and use the sleep test.
- Wearing the equipment: You will be instructed to wear the equipment, which typically includes sensors attached to your chest, finger, and/or nose, as well as a device that records your sleep. Please do not damage the equipment as this will incur a fee for you.
- Sleep as normal: You should sleep at home as you normally do as the equipment will record your sleep patterns.
- Return of equipment: The next morning, you will return the equipment to the sleep technician. Failure to do so may incur a fee.
Results and follow-up
At The Sleep Clinic, we strive to provide you with your results as quickly as possible. The sleep doctor will analyze the data and provide the results to you in a timely fashion and determine the best course of action to fit your sleep needs.
It is important to follow the instructions given to you when using the equipment and to make yourself as comfortable as possible while wearing the equipment. This is to ensure that we get an accurate reading.
In the unlikely event that something goes wrong and we are unable to obtain an accurate reading, we may have to pursue an in-lab sleep study.