Do you find yourself waking up tired, or maybe with a headache or dry mouth? Obstructive sleep apnea could be to blame. This happens when your breathing is interrupted during sleep, often for more than ten seconds.
When you sleep, your muscles relax, including the throat and chest muscles that help you breathe. If you have sleep apnea, relaxation of throat muscles combine with a narrowed airway to interrupt breathing.
At-home sleep apnea testing is an easy, cost-effective way to figure out whether you’re having trouble breathing. A home sleep apnea test is a very simplified breathing monitor that tracks your breathing, oxygen levels, and breathing effort while worn. It does not fully capture what is monitored with an overnight sleep study. Overnight sleep studies give a more thorough assessment of sleep issues. They are attended by a sleep technologist and capture many more signals, including brainwaves for sleep, muscle tone, and leg movements. For people with certain heart, breathing, or neuromuscular problems, an overnight sleep study at a sleep center may be better.
An at-home sleep apnea test may be appropriate for you if you have signs of obstructive sleep apnea, such as:
Talk with your clinical provider about your options, especially if you are overweight or obese.
Here’s what to know about the test.
“For the most accurate home sleep apnea reading, it’s best to have sleep time on your back and side,” Patil says. Sleep apnea is typically worse when sleepers are on their backs, and side sleeping can ease apnea. Knowing what happens when you sleep in different positions can help your doctor pinpoint whether you have apnea or some other sleep issue.
