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Benefits of Home Sleep Testing

Posted By:

March 18, 2019

6:50 PM

Most of us don’t realize how important sleep is to virtually every aspect of our health. New studies are showing that sleep not only affects the energy we feel each day, it also affects our metabolism, hormone levels, body composition, and mental health.

Understanding how important sleep is should motivate those suffering from a sleep disorder to seek treatment, but it doesn’t often overcome the reluctance many feel to sleeping in an unfamiliar bed at a clinic where they are observed. If you fall into this category, you need to know about the exciting new option of home sleep studies.

Home Sleep Testing v. Clinic Sleep Study

Home sleep testing requires less money and time than a traditional sleep study in a clinic. In the comfort of your home, you can simply wear a medical device that tracks your breathing and other vital signs throughout the night as you sleep.

Rather than spending an entire night at a clinic, you simply pick up the equipment at your convenience and then put it on at night when you are ready to sleep. In the morning, you follow the instructions on the equipment to submit the data collected during the night. Doctors may ask you to wear it two nights in a row to confirm the results, but they will be able to evaluate the data quickly and diagnose what is causing your lack of quality sleep.

Is Home Sleep Testing Right For You?

Home sleep testing is most effective for determining if someone suffers from sleep apnea. If you have any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, you may have OSA (obstructive sleep apnea):

Loud, disruptive snoring
The tendency to awake in the night, gasping for air
Dry mouth when you wake up in the morning
A feeling of being tired, distracted, and irritable even after a full night’s sleep

OSA is a serious condition in which a person’s breathing essentially stops multiple times during sleep cycles, depriving the brain of oxygen and preventing a person from entering the REM stage of sleep needed to feel fully rested. If you think you suffer from OSA, a home sleep study may be able to help you get your health back on track. Ask your doctor today if it’s right for you.

Contact Us

Are you considering at-home sleep testing? Contact Dr. Clifford Brown and the experienced team at Silent Night Therapy to discuss your options and get a test scheduled. Call us at (631) 983-2463 or reach out to us online today.