Your doctor might advise you to take a sleep test when you visit him or her complaining about snoring. Sleep studies are diagnostic tools that are mainly used to make a diagnosis of sleep issues and disorders. Sleep studies will be conducted before deciding on the stop snoring devices that can be effective for you. These studies are performed under the supervision and care of sleep professionals at a sleep lab or at your home.

As per the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, about 25 million adults in the country suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). It is believed that almost eighty percent of the men and ninety percent of the women with OSA go undiagnosed. This data is troubling, as recent researches have proved that there is a link between sleep apnea and high blood pressure, type II diabetes, weight gain, heart diseases, and many more problems. The good news is that sleep apnea can be fixed easily with professional help.

Sleep Study Types

Proper diagnosis is the first step to fight snoring and sleep apnea issues, no matter whether the sleep test is done in a lab or at home. There are pros and cons to both the methods, but an in-lab test is proven more effective and controlled in diagnosing the problem.

Lab Sleep Study

You might think of a sleep lab as a place filled with sterile machines and people wearing white lab coats. However, all these myths will be debunked when you visit a sleep lab. Sleep clinics and labs are often furnished with good bedding, warm and comfortable décor, and furniture, with minimal equipments. These are provided to relax the patient and to make them feel comfortable and at home.

Sleep clinics will make use of more sensors and so they can gather much more information than home sleep study sessions. In addition, sleep professionals will also be monitoring your progress throughout the night to ensure that everything is okay.

Home Sleep Study

This type of sleep study will be conducted in the home of the person. The advantage is that you can sleep in the comfort of your own bed. Sensors will be fixed to your index fingers to monitor heartbeat and oxygen levels. Another set of sensors will be strapped to your chest to monitor breathing pattern.

There will also be a small tube placed in your nostril to monitor the amount of air that you breathe through your nose. This is a less expensive method than lab sleep study and can be a good option for those without insurance or with a high deductible insurance plan.

As said, no matter which option you choose, the best way to deal with snoring and sleep apnea related issues is to first identify the root cause of the problem. After the sleep study, your healthcare provider would be able to recommend the right snoring aid to treat your condition.