For about 15 millions Americans with undiagnosed sleep apnea of a moderate to severe degree, home sleep testing provides a safe, reliable and accurate method to streamline testing. Home sleep testing (aka portable monitoring) has been around for over two decades. With the evolving technology of home sleep testing devices, in 2007 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognized the test for the effective diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea as an alternative to traditional methods.

Like traditional sleep testing, home sleep testing monitors breathing, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. It is also provided at a fraction of the cost–nearly 1/10th–the cost of an in lab study or polysomnography. The home sleep tests are preferred by some patients who don’t want to sleep in an unfamiliar location or to have their sleep observed by strangers. Our patients receive the testing equipment by mail and are tested from the convenience of their own home. Afterwards, they ship the device back to us and we interprets the results.

While home sleep tests are able to diagnose sleep apnea in many patients, home sleep testing should only be ordered after a sleep specialist identifies that there is a high risk for sleep apnea. In low risk cases, the test can give a false result. Additionally, a comprehensive sleep evaluation will ensure that patients with medical conditions like asthma, heart disease, neurological disease or other conditions that interfere with the accuracy of home testing are not present. If one of these conditions are present or there is suspicion for another sleep disorder an in-lab study might be appropriate.