At Home Sleep Study: The Process of Testing | Daybreak

The primary trade-off between an in-lab sleep study conducted by a medical provider and an at-home sleep study is cost + convenience vs. comprehensiveness.

Lab-based sleep studies are comprehensive but potentially inconvenient and expensive

Because a traditional lab-based sleep study monitors body position, chest motion, brain waves, blood oxygen levels, breathing effort, EKG heart activity, and eye activity and also records video and audio for sleep doctor review, it has the potential to accurately diagnose the vast majority of sleep disorders presented by a patient.

Especially if you or your sleep doctor believe you may be suffering from a sleep issue other than sleep apnea, then a traditional sleep lab conducted away from home is probably the best way forward.

However, the downside of an in-lab overnight sleep study is that they are almost always significantly more expensive than an at-home sleep study, wait-times can stretch into months, and sleeping away from home and your own bed for one or more nights can be difficult and disruptive.

At-home sleep studies are cost-effective and convenient for testing obstructive sleep apnea

The primary advantages of home sleep apnea tests are convenience and cost-effectiveness. An at-home sleep apnea test is almost always less expensive and more convenient than a traditional in-lab study for sleep apnea testing (and Daybreak offers some of the most affordable FDA-cleared sleep tests available):

• Comfort and Convenience: The comfort of sleeping in your own bed cannot be overstated. It eliminates the stress and discomfort of spending the night in a lab, making the testing process easier for those who might otherwise avoid it. The device records sleep breathing patterns overnight, and the recorded data is automatically shared with healthcare providers. There are also fewer sensors and wires connected to your body.
• Cost-Effective: In-lab sleep studies can be expensive, often costing thousands of dollars. At-home tests are generally much more affordable, making them a more accessible option for many people.
• Quicker Results: With in-lab studies, there can be long wait times due to limited availability at sleep centers. At-home testing can often be arranged more quickly, allowing you to get a personal sleep report and begin treatment sooner.
• Accurate Reflection of Sleep Patterns: Some professionals argue that at-home sleep testing may provide a more accurate representation of a patient’s sleep. Since you’re in your natural sleep environment, the test results may better reflect your typical sleep patterns compared to a lab setting, where the unfamiliar environment can lead to restless sleep. The data collected helps to diagnose sleep apnea accurately, leading to a personalized care plan for managing the condition.

However, at-home sleep studies are primarily tools for sleep apnea testing (and in particular, obstructive sleep apnea testing).

Sleep apnea is among the most prevalent sleep disorders, and at-home sleep apnea studies interpreted by a professional are extremely effective at identifying sleep apnea. But if there is reason to suspect a non-apnea issue such as restless leg syndrome or sleep paralysis, then a lab-based sleep study is probably a better option.

Detecting sleep apnea is essential for managing and treating the condition effectively. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to severe health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. And outside of health issues, sleep apnea leads to poor quality sleep, which in turn can reduce the ability to concentrate, lead to weight gain, and even negatively affect sex life.

A proper sleep apnea diagnosis helps identify the presence and severity of the condition, guiding appropriate sleep apnea therapy. The most common treatment plan for sleep apnea is CPAP therapy. Although CPAP therapy can be highly effective when used routinely and according to clinical guidelines, many people struggle with compliance and find their CPAP machines noisy and uncomfortable.

Outside of CPAP, sleep apnea treatment options may include lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and increased physical activity, or surgical interventions, such as a hypoglossal nerve stimulation implant (commonly known as "Inspire Surgery"), a sort of implanted pacemaker for the tongue.

Daybreak works with physicians to provide obstructive sleep apnea treatment using a mandibular advancement device (MAD), also known as sleep apnea mouthguard or sleep apnea oral device. An oral appliance looks like a set of two mouthguards connected together with a strap or band. The mouthguards hold the lower jaw in place or gently pull it to a forward position, preventing it from falling back, collapsing the throat, and cutting off airflow and blood oxygen levels.

To learn more about how "sleep apnea mouthguards" work, check out our article "How Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) Help You Sleep, Breathe & Live Better."

At-home sleep studies offer a convenient and cost-effective method for diagnosing sleep apnea. These tests usually involve wearing a small pulse oximeter device on the wrist or finger that (potentially with additional sensors) monitors sleep patterns, breathing rates, peripheral arterial tone, and blood oxygen levels throughout the night.

Depending on the device and the physician, the device is worn for between one and four nights, and the collected sleep data is then sent to a physician for analysis. Most modern at-home sleep studies connect to your cell phone's Bluetooth connection to collect and store data, allowing the test-taker to avoid any tangled wires while they sleep.

Proper preparation is key to ensuring accurate results from an at-home sleep test. Here are some tips to help you get ready:

• Carefully follow the instructions provided with the testing device.
• Ensure the device is properly fitted and comfortable to wear.
• Refrain from napping during the day before the test.
• Be normal! For the most part, try to stick to your "typical" routines: the goal is to understand and treat sleep apnea as it shows up in your normal life, so don't treat a testing night as anything special.

After completing your at-home sleep test, the data will be analyzed by a medical professional, and you will receive a personalized sleep report. This report will detail your sleep patterns, breathing rates, and standard measurements of sleep apnea.

Understanding your sleep test results can be overwhelming, but your sleep specialist will explain the findings and any doctor recommendations. The most important finding will revolve around blood oxygen levels: because sleep apnea prevents proper breathing, blood oxygen levels decline during "apnea events."

The most commonly used measurement is called the apnea-hypopnea index ("AHI"), which measures the number of times per hour, on average, that blood oxygen levels decline beyond a set point due to apnea events. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines clinical sleep apnea as occurring when AHI exceeds 5 AHI per hour.

Most health insurance companies also require an AHI of five or greater to approve a claim; check out more detailed medical insurance coverage info related to oral devices at our "Is a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) Covered By Insurance? Understanding Sleep Apnea Oral Device Coverage" article.

For a more in-depth understanding, Daybreak has created a resource that dives more deeply into at-home sleep study metrics, results, and definitions.

At Daybreak, we understand the importance of accessible and convenient care. That's why we offer an FDA-cleared, complete at-home diagnosis and treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We believe that improving your sleep shouldn't be a complicated or stressful process, which is why we've streamlined the entire experience, from testing to treatment.

If you've been putting off a sleep study because of concerns about the inconvenience of an in-lab test, at-home sleep testing could be the ideal solution. With Daybreak, you can take control of your sleep health comfortably and conveniently from your own home and wake up to a better tomorrow.