Even if you get less sleep than you normally do at home, a sleep study only requires two hours of sleep. View Source in order to be considered a valid test.
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.
It is a one-night test that requires at least a minimum of four hours of sleep.
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.
It doesn't completely rule out apnea.
After the test, your results will be reviewed by a sleep technologist and sent to your physician. If symptoms persist, your physician might recommend an in-lab study. Home tests can sometimes be inaccurate: For instance, your sensors might fall off during 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 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.
Although you are not expected to go to sleep at a specific time, you will be encouraged to fall asleep as soon as possible to maximize the amount of sleep time during which you can be observed. Patients needing to use the bathroom during the study need only to notify the technologist.
Even if you get less sleep than you normally do at home, a sleep study only requires two hours of sleep. View Source in order to be considered a valid test. In some cases, people who are nervous about a sleep study or who have severe insomnia may be prescribed sleep medications to help them fall asleep.
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).
So, does anyone ever pass a sleep apnea test? Yes, but people who sleep well don't usually opt for testing.
People who have no symptoms of sleep apnea can still be diagnosed with this condition if they have 15 or more of these events per hour during a sleep study. For people with symptoms of sleep apnea, at least five events per hour must be recorded in order to confirm the diagnosis.
Avoid caffeine or stimulants for 12 hours before your scheduled time of arrival at the Sleep Center, unless prescribed by the doctor. Maintain your normal sleep schedule until your test date. Please refrain from napping on the day of your study. Make sure your skin and hair are clean.
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.
Weight loss of just 10-15% can reduce the severity of OSA by 50% in moderately obese patients. Unfortunately, while weight loss can provide meaningful improvements in OSA, it usually does not lead to a complete cure, and many sleep apnea patients need additional therapies.
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.
Obstructive sleep apnea is classified by severity: Severe obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is greater than 30 (more than 30 episodes per hour) Moderate obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 15 and 30. Mild obstructive sleep apnea means that your AHI is between 5 and 15.
Not all snorers have apnea, but the two often go hand-in-hand. As snoring gets louder, chances of having sleep apnea are greater and greater.
A CPAP machine is addictive.
While the machine itself is not addictive, patients become addicted to the results of regular CPAP use. These results include getting better sleep and feeling more energize and focused.
Polysomnography, an overnight sleep study performed in a lab, provides the most accurate diagnosis. View Source for obstructive sleep apnea. However, this type of test can be more expensive, and people in certain areas may face long waitlists or lack easy access to a sleep center.
Experts advise that you should try to avoid sleeping on your back if you have OSA. In this position, gravity can cause the tongue to fall back in the mouth where it can obstruct the flow of air through the throat. As a result of its narrowing effect on the airway, back sleeping can also worsen snoring. View Source .
When you find out you have sleep apnea, your doctor will review your treatment options with you. Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes, devices that open up your blocked airway, or surgery.