Very few people who don't present sleep apnea symptoms choose to get a sleep apnea test. So, does anyone ever pass a sleep apnea test? Yes, but people who sleep well don't usually opt for testing.
People often start to worry that they won't sleep or get accurate results. In reality, only a tiny proportion of sleep tests fail due to inadequate sleep data. It may take a little longer to fall asleep, but usually, you'll get plenty of sleep which will give the clinicians lots of data to work with.
“The accuracy is limited in some cases. It may over- or under-diagnose, depending on the type of home study you have.” Home testing typically is recommended for patients who are generally healthy.
You can speak with a technologist at any point during the monitoring process. They can offer suggestions or ask for assistance from a sleep specialist or your doctor to help you get to sleep. In some cases, sleep specialists at the lab might offer you a sedative.
Patients who can't fall asleep can take a mild sedative to help them doze off and get accurate results. You'll be monitored throughout the night.
Portable monitoring devices sometimes miss sleep apnea. So your health care provider might still recommend polysomnography even if your first results are within the standard range.
You may feel uncomfortable because of the sensors and other measuring devices attached to your body. However, nearly everyone eventually falls asleep during a sleep study. Even if you get less sleep than you normally do at home, a sleep study only requires two hours of sleep.
A full night's sleep isn't required to obtain accurate polysomnography results, but you will remain in the lab until around 6 a.m. the next day. Don't worry if you can't fall asleep as easily or sleep as well during your sleep study as you do at home, as this usually doesn't affect the test results.
Experts in sleep medicine recommend that at-home sleep apnea testing include at least the following three measurements, recorded for a minimum of four hours: Nasal pressure. Movement of the chest and abdomen, which reflects breathing. Oximetry, which is the level of oxygen in the blood.
Do not have any caffeine in the afternoon or evening before an overnight sleep study. This includes coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate. Also avoid drinking any alcohol. You do not want any substance to affect your sleep.
People who have sleep apnea stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they are sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night. If you have sleep apnea, periods of not breathing can disturb your sleep (even if they don't fully wake you up).
Studies show that patients who develop sleep apnea before the age of fifty have a life expectancy between 8 and 18 years. Fortunately lifestyle changes, treatment, and other interventions can improve the life expectancy of someone with sleep apnea.
“The Oral Agent AD109 Improves Objective and Subjective Outcomes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients. Results From the Mariposa Study, a Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial,” American Thoracic Society.
“You arrive around 9 o'clock at night, meet with a technician and they hook you up with a whole lot of electrodes on your scalp, chin, chest and legs, and they watch you while you sleep,” says sleep medicine physician Aris Iatridis, M.D. Most patients are discharged early the next morning.
While there is no cure for sleep apnea, studies show that certain lifestyle factors can reverse or make your sleep apnea less intense. Other treatment or surgical options can also reverse the condition. Sleep apnea happens when your upper airway muscles relax while you sleep. This causes you to not get enough air.
Before Your Home Sleep Test. Remember to take all of your regularly scheduled medications unless otherwise directed by your provider and do not consume alcohol or excessive caffeine on the day of the study. You will pick up a home sleep testing device at a scheduled time after insurance approval is obtained.
Most people get used to it all very quickly. If the sleep technician suspects that you have obstructive sleep apnea, you may wear a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine during the second half of the night in the sleep lab.
A sleep study is a diagnostic test that involves recording multiple systems in your body while you sleep. Key body systems monitored include your brain, heart, breathing and more. This test isn't painful and usually only takes one night to complete.
However, the test cannot diagnose or confirm a mental health condition. Instead, the results will show if you have poor quality sleep or insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, or another sleep disorder, which could be a sign or symptom of a mental health disorder.
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
In adults, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity, which is associated with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat. During sleep, when throat and tongue muscles are more relaxed, this soft tissue can cause the airway to become blocked.