Sleep Apnea

Diagnosing sleep apnea usually involves a healthcare provider asking questions about your symptoms and history. If they suspect sleep apnea based on your symptoms and answers, they’ll likely want you to undergo testing for sleep apnea.

What tests will be done to diagnose sleep apnea?

The most common tests for sleep apnea include:

• Overnight sleep study (polysomnogram). This is an overnight test where you sleep in a medical facility (often known as a “sleep lab”) that’s specially equipped to be as comfortable as possible while still monitoring your sleep. This test involves sensors that monitor your heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels, brain waves and more. Experts consider this test the gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea.
• Home sleep apnea testing. This form of testing allows a person to complete a sleep study from home. It’s similar to an overnight sleep study, but doesn’t involve brain wave monitoring. This test can’t diagnose central sleep apnea, and it’s usually not an option when providers suspect more severe sleep apnea, or if you have other sleep disorders or medical conditions. Often, when a home study doesn’t show sleep apnea, experts recommend confirming this with an overnight sleep study.