Some research has shown that multi-night sleep testing results in fewer false negatives, better diagnostic accuracy, and an overall better impact on patient care. According to this research, sleep studies conducted for a single night could potentially not catch moderate and mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) up to 60% and 84% of the time, respectively. Another recent study published in CHEST found that monitoring just one night’s worth of data resulted in notable OSA severity misdiagnoses when examining 10,340 adults.
Home Sleep Test – What If I Can’t Sleep?
When taking a sleep test at home and you can’t sleep, we recommend trying to stay up a little later than your typical bedtime so that you are tired and will stay asleep all night long.
We recommend this even if you usually do not have a problem falling asleep. The added experience of getting your sleep evaluated may cause extra nerves or anxiety which could keep you awake.
During your sleep test, it is important to mimic how you usually sleep. So, lay down in your typical sleeping position. If you are taking a test requiring wires and other equipment, try relaxing your body as best as possible. Although it can be challenging, ignoring the equipment will result in a better night’s sleep and more accurate results.
If you still feel like you can not fall asleep, try another way of relaxing like a breathing technique. Or, focus on something simple, like your favorite book, TV show, or movie. This will help to put your mind at ease and relax your muscles to fall asleep even while taking the sleep study. Additionally, if you happen to wake up during the night, do not turn on the lights or check your phone as that stimulates your brain to think you are waking up for good.
What Does a Sleep Test Take at Home Show?
You will use sensors to monitor certain activities while you sleep. These sensors record the following information as users sleep throughout the night:
- snoring
- oxygen levels
- breathing pattern
- heart rate
The results of this overnight monitoring will be evaluated by a sleep expert. This doctor will determine if the data indicate mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea— or no sleep apnea at all.
Why Do These Variables Change from Night to Night?
Sleep changes from night to night depending on a lot of factors, including the length of each stage, the length of the entire night’s sleep, and respiratory events. Tracking night-to-night variability could help identify triggers that worsen sleep apnea or other sleep disorder symptoms. For example, consuming alcohol could disrupt a person’s sleep pattern and sleep apnea symptoms.
How Many Apneas Per Hour Are Severe?
Scores for adults are divided into three categories, which correspond to different levels of OSA severity:
- Mild: At least five events per hour, but fewer than 15.
- Moderate: At least 15 events per hour, but fewer than 30.
- Severe: At least 30 events per hour.
How Often Does a Sleep Study Need to Be Repeated?
A multi-night sleep study can vary based on the results. One to three nights can provide a range of data that sleep doctors can evaluate. They will look for dramatic shifts in any of the data ranges from one night to the next and may schedule another sleep test to see if a pattern emerges.
Where Can I Take a Home Sleep Apnea Test?
You can take a home sleep apnea test with Sleep Care Online. Sleep Care online uses NightOwl®, a disposable home sleep apnea test device, and the world’s smallest, most convenient home sleep apnea test. The device consists of a sensor that is connected to NightOwl Companion, a smartphone app (available for iOS or Android), and cloud-based analysis software.
Each device is capable of being used for multiple nights as needed if follow-up testing is medically necessary. NightOwl is FDA-cleared and has been clinically validated in multiple trials.
