Home sleep studies
What is a Home Sleep Study?
In order to diagnose Sleep Apnea or other sleep disorders, a patient must undergo a polysomnography (sleep study). This is typically done in a sleep lab, requiring the patient to spend the night in-lab, while the polysomnography (PSG) equipment records his/her physiological data. However, today with technological advancements a polysomnography can be performed at home and is called a home sleep study or a home sleep test.
- The patient self-administers the home sleep test, and is able to spend the night in the patient’s own bed in familiar surroundings (reducing first night effect).
- Home sleep testing, a home sleep study, can be especially advantageous to the home-bound, elderly, or those with chronic illness, who require specialized care such as a nurse or family member spending the night, expensive transportation costs, etc. It is also beneficial for those with trouble arranging time out of their schedules to spend the night in-lab.
- The typical cost of a home sleep test or a home sleep study is only a fraction of the cost of an in-lab sleep study, and typically yields similar results in the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.