What is a Home Sleep Study?

The easiest and simplest way to get tested for sleep apnea is through a home sleep study. First, with our Complete Care package, you complete a health & risk assessment that our sleep practitioners review to determine whether you qualify for a sleep study. Next, you take the home sleep apnea test from the comfort of your own bed at a time that is convenient for you. The data is uploaded the next morning and you schedule a telehealth visit with a sleep expert to discuss your sleep study results and follow-up therapy options.

Our goal at Sleep Care Online is to make the entire process as hassle-free as we can; allow us to take you from diagnosis to treatment—all without stepping into a clinic!

Who Should Take a Home Sleep Test?

A sleep study is best for someone who suspects they may be suffering from a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Symptoms typically include snoring or waking up gasping for air. For any patient who needs to be diagnosed with a sleep disorder, a home sleep study is an easier, more affordable, and more convenient option. With a home sleep study, patients no longer have to wait for an opening at a sleep clinic, spend an overnight in an unknown bed while someone is watching, nor rearrange their schedule or provide care for others while out of the home. It is a particularly appealing option for elderly patients, those with other comorbidities, and those who travel frequently.

If you suspect that you might have OSA, we recommend checking out the Complete Care Package from Sleep Care online. By purchasing Complete Care, customers can take a brief sleep questionnaire at checkout. When your purchase is complete, customers will receive a disposable home sleep test in the mail. Once received, simply follow the instructions to take the sleep test from the comfort of your bed. In the morning, results are uploaded to the cloud where they can be analyzed. Next, schedule a 10-minute consultation with one of our sleep experts to review your results and prescribe PAP therapy, if warranted.

What are the Signs of Sleep Apnea?

Before you take a home sleep apnea test, look for the following signs of obstructive sleep apnea:  

• Obstructive breathing while sleeping
• Bruxism
• Insomnia
• Loud snoring
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Nocturia
• Obesity

A home sleep study is not advisable for some sleep problems, but it is approved for the detection of sleep apnea. Physicians require a sleep test prior to writing a prescription for CPAP therapy.  A home sleep study is one of the best and accurate ways to detect the signs of sleep apnea. This method is suitable for people at least 18 years of age who potentially suffer from OSA.

 

What is the Process Involved in a Home Sleep Study?

The home sleep study process at Sleep Care online is simple, fast, and accurate. Just follow the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Start by taking our free sleep apnea risk assessment to determine if you are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Step 2: An in-home sleep apnea test will be delivered to your doorstep and completed in the comfort of your own bed.

Step 3: The next morning, the sleep data will be uploaded to the cloud for review by our sleep physicians.

Step 4: Set up a 10-minute telehealth meeting at your convenience to discuss your results with your doctor. During this meeting, the physician will discuss treatment options and may prescribe PAP therapy.  If that is the case, a sleep expert will call to discuss PAP equipment options and get the best device set up for you.

Step 5: A certified sleep expert will follow up with support and advice on supplies to help you initiate sleep apnea therapy.

How Much Does a Home Sleep Study Cost?

Traditional, in-lab sleep studies require a night or two spent in an outpatient clinic while a technician watches you sleep. These studies typically cost between $2500 to $5000, a portion of which may or may not be covered by insurance. A home sleep test is only a fraction of that cost.

Sleep Care online’s Complete Care package costs $219 and includes a brief questionnaire, a disposable home sleep test, a telehealth visit with a sleep practitioner to review the home sleep study results, and a prescription for CPAP therapy.

Is a Home Sleep Study Accurate?

After extensive research, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine endorsed the use of home sleep study for qualified people in the October 2017 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.¹ The device included in the home sleep study accurately tracks 8 biological data points. The Complete Care package includes sleep experts to interpret that data to provide a diagnosis.

Why Would Someone Need a Sleep Apnea Study?

A home sleep study is the only way to accurately diagnose sleep apnea. Physicians require a sleep test prior to writing a prescription for CPAP therapy. A home sleep study is not advisable for some sleep problems, but it is approved for the detection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A home sleep study is suitable for all persons who are 18 years or above and potentially have OSA. If you think you should take a home sleep apnea test, look for the following signs of obstructive sleep apnea:  

• Obstructive breathing while sleeping
• Bruxism
• Insomnia
• Loud snoring
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Nocturia
• Obesity

Benefits of a Home Sleep Apnea Study

By far, the most significant advantage of a home sleep study is that you can conduct it in the comfort of your own bed. You do not have to worry about coordinating clinic availability, finding alternative care arrangements for kids or pets, packing your bag with the necessities, or sleeping in an unfamiliar bed with someone watching over you.

Simply slip on the monitor before you go to bed and follow your normal sleep routine. The ergonomically designed monitor is so small and lightweight, you won’t even notice that it’s on.

Get Tested for Sleep Apnea At A Much Lower Cost

A home sleep apnea study saves you a lot of money over in-lab testing. Additionally, your medical insurance provider may fully or partly cover a home sleep test.

Stay Comfortable While You Conduct Your Sleep Apnea Study

A home sleep test offers countless advantages, with the main advantage being the ability to stay at home and sleep more comfortably without being monitored.  You can take the test immediately or on your own schedule and in your own bed and environment. The device is simple to use and will not impact your night of sleep. You’ll be able to perform your own nightly routine while being assured of accurate test results.

Get Your Sleep Apnea Tested With Superior Convenience

The home test is more convenient than laboratory studies, especially when you want to keep away from hospitals and clinics as much as you can during the current coronavirus pandemic. In comparison, the procedure may even provide a more accurate result because you’re at your own house and you will sleep more normally than you would be hooked up to sensors and being monitored in a lab.

Don’t Disrupt Your Daily Routine While Testing

A sleep study at home doesn’t require you to change your daily routine which includes being with your family, going to work, cooking meals, etc. You don’t have to go anywhere.  Instead, the equipment is provided to your doorstep.

Home Sleep Study vs. In-Lab Sleep Studies (Polysomnography)

In-lab sleep studies have been the only option for a very long time. Patients must rely on coordinating their schedule with bed availability, and that process can be particularly cumbersome if a second night of sleep data is required. Once the data is selected, you have to make adjustments to your daily life to accommodate your night(s) away. This includes finding babysitters for your kids–often on school nights!–or finding someone to walk and feed your pets while you are away. Then there’s the expense: in-lab sleep studies can cost up to $5000 and may or may not be covered by insurance.

Alternatively, a home sleep study is affordable and convenient. In addition to having everything you need mailed to your door, you do not have to adjust your daily routine. As a result, the sleep data will likely provide your physician with a more complete look at your typical sleep patterns. In-lab sleep studies are sterile and unfamiliar, and sleep is often difficult with nodes and wires hooked to your body and a technician watching you sleep.

Side-by-Side Comparison Chart for Home Sleep Study and In-Lab Sleep Studies (Polysomnography)

Home Sleep Study	In-Lab Sleep Study
More convenient and affordable	Relatively less convenient and affordable
Adjustments with your daily life is required	Adjustments with your daily life is not required.
More detailed analysis.	Relatively less detailed analysis.

Where and How to Get a Home Sleep Study

With Sleep Care online, simply purchase the Complete Care Package to get started. Sleep Care Online is available in all states. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to contact our customer care team. Give them a call at 866-465-4478 or email them at contact@sleepcareonline.com today!