How to Test for Sleep Apnea at Home
Get your Snore Score., Measure yourself on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale., Take the Berlin Sleep Questionnaire., Consult your doctor., Secure the monitor to your abdomen., Put on the finger monitor., Attach the nasal tubes., Turn on the monitor...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get your Snore Score.
The American Sleep Apnea Association has a questionnaire you can complete to calculate your “snore score.” These questions gauge the severity of your snoring.
Ultimately, they’ll give you an idea of whether you have healthy sleeping patterns or not.Access the questionnaire at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/snore-score.pdf -
Step 2: Measure yourself on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
Like the Snore Score, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale gauges your sleep health and sleep patterns.
By answering questions based on a 0 to 3 ranking system, the scale will give you an idea of whether you have sleep apnea and its severity.Access the Epworth Sleepiness Scale at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ESS-PDF-1990-97.pdf , The Berlin Sleep Questionnaire is more like the Epworth Scale than the Snore Score.
The questionnaire includes 10 questions with multiple choice answers.
To determine your sleep health, you assign points based on question responses.
In the end, your calculations will determine whether you are high risk or low risk for sleep apnea.Access the questionnaire at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/berlin-questionnaire.pdf , You’ll need to make an appointment with your doctor to arrange to take a sleep test at home.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your sleep health and patterns.
If your doctor believes you have sleep apnea, they will either issue you a sleep monitor or refer you to a doctor who can., After your doctor gets you the monitor, you’ll have to take it home and secure it to yourself.
The monitor will come equipped with elastic straps and bands that you’ll need to secure around your abdomen and chest.
These straps also come equipped with sensors that help monitor your breathing and the effort your body puts into respiration.In most cases, the apnea monitor should fit snuggly above your stomach and at the lower part of your breast bone. , The finger monitor is a small device you’ll need to clip on the tip of your index finger.
The monitor keeps track of your blood oxygen level during sleep.
Without data from the finger monitor, you won’t have the information you need to determine if you have sleep apnea., Secure the nasal tubes to your nose.
In many cases, you’ll have two tubes that you’ll need to insert slightly into your nostrils.
These tubes will help gauge your air flow and breathing regularity.
You’ll also have an elastic band you will need to secure around your neck or face.Take time to make sure nasal tubes are completely secured.
This is the piece of equipment that is most likely to fall off while you sleep. , When you’re ready to go to sleep, press the “on” button on your monitor.
Depending on the model of the device, the button will look different or be positioned in a different location.
However, your doctor should instruct you on which button to press., Before you go to sleep, and throughout the night when you wake up, check to see that the monitor, nasal tubes, and finger attachment are still attached properly.
This is important, as some parts of the monitor could come loose from your body while you sleep., This includes caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and cola.
In addition, you should avoid products that contain nicotine like cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco.
Consuming products with stimulants will undermine your ability to sleep.Consider avoiding sugary drinks. , If you take medication at night, you should continue doing so when you take your sleep apnea test.
This includes both prescription and over the counter medications.
Some examples of medications you can continue to take include: anxiety medication, heart medication, and medication intended to help you sleep.Consult your doctor if you have any question about how a medication might influence your sleep study. , Once you wake up in the morning, switch the monitor off (by pressing the same button you used to turn it on), and carefully remove each piece of equipment from your body.
Return the monitor and the sensors to the container they came in., After you've concluded your sleep test, you need to return the monitor to your doctor in a timely manner.
This might include dropping it off at their office, or mailing it in.
It is important to return the monitor as soon as possible, so you can get results back quickly., Depending on your method of returning the monitor, it could take from several days to several weeks to get your results back.
During this time, your doctor will download the data from the sleep apnea monitor, analyze the results, and formulate a diagnosis., Once you doctor has the results of your study, they'll either order more testing (like another sleep study), or they'll inform you that you have sleep apnea.
Depending on whether you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea, they'll recommend a specific course of treatment.
They may:
Recommend you use a CPAP machine, which will continually blow oxygen through your nostrils and help keep your airways open while you sleep.
Suggest surgery.
For some people, sleep apnea may be alleviated through surgery.
Very often, this takes the form of nasal surgery to improve your ability to breath through your nose.
Ask you to lose weight.
For some patients, weight loss can decrease the severity of sleep apnea. -
Step 3: Take the Berlin Sleep Questionnaire.
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Step 4: Consult your doctor.
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Step 5: Secure the monitor to your abdomen.
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Step 6: Put on the finger monitor.
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Step 7: Attach the nasal tubes.
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Step 8: Turn on the monitor.
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Step 9: Verify that all the pieces of the monitor are in position.
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Step 10: Avoid stimulants.
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Step 11: Take medication as usual.
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Step 12: Remove your monitor in the morning.
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Step 13: Return the monitor.
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Step 14: Wait for the results.
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Step 15: Follow your doctor's recommendation.
Detailed Guide
The American Sleep Apnea Association has a questionnaire you can complete to calculate your “snore score.” These questions gauge the severity of your snoring.
Ultimately, they’ll give you an idea of whether you have healthy sleeping patterns or not.Access the questionnaire at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/snore-score.pdf
Like the Snore Score, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale gauges your sleep health and sleep patterns.
By answering questions based on a 0 to 3 ranking system, the scale will give you an idea of whether you have sleep apnea and its severity.Access the Epworth Sleepiness Scale at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ESS-PDF-1990-97.pdf , The Berlin Sleep Questionnaire is more like the Epworth Scale than the Snore Score.
The questionnaire includes 10 questions with multiple choice answers.
To determine your sleep health, you assign points based on question responses.
In the end, your calculations will determine whether you are high risk or low risk for sleep apnea.Access the questionnaire at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/berlin-questionnaire.pdf , You’ll need to make an appointment with your doctor to arrange to take a sleep test at home.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your sleep health and patterns.
If your doctor believes you have sleep apnea, they will either issue you a sleep monitor or refer you to a doctor who can., After your doctor gets you the monitor, you’ll have to take it home and secure it to yourself.
The monitor will come equipped with elastic straps and bands that you’ll need to secure around your abdomen and chest.
These straps also come equipped with sensors that help monitor your breathing and the effort your body puts into respiration.In most cases, the apnea monitor should fit snuggly above your stomach and at the lower part of your breast bone. , The finger monitor is a small device you’ll need to clip on the tip of your index finger.
The monitor keeps track of your blood oxygen level during sleep.
Without data from the finger monitor, you won’t have the information you need to determine if you have sleep apnea., Secure the nasal tubes to your nose.
In many cases, you’ll have two tubes that you’ll need to insert slightly into your nostrils.
These tubes will help gauge your air flow and breathing regularity.
You’ll also have an elastic band you will need to secure around your neck or face.Take time to make sure nasal tubes are completely secured.
This is the piece of equipment that is most likely to fall off while you sleep. , When you’re ready to go to sleep, press the “on” button on your monitor.
Depending on the model of the device, the button will look different or be positioned in a different location.
However, your doctor should instruct you on which button to press., Before you go to sleep, and throughout the night when you wake up, check to see that the monitor, nasal tubes, and finger attachment are still attached properly.
This is important, as some parts of the monitor could come loose from your body while you sleep., This includes caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and cola.
In addition, you should avoid products that contain nicotine like cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco.
Consuming products with stimulants will undermine your ability to sleep.Consider avoiding sugary drinks. , If you take medication at night, you should continue doing so when you take your sleep apnea test.
This includes both prescription and over the counter medications.
Some examples of medications you can continue to take include: anxiety medication, heart medication, and medication intended to help you sleep.Consult your doctor if you have any question about how a medication might influence your sleep study. , Once you wake up in the morning, switch the monitor off (by pressing the same button you used to turn it on), and carefully remove each piece of equipment from your body.
Return the monitor and the sensors to the container they came in., After you've concluded your sleep test, you need to return the monitor to your doctor in a timely manner.
This might include dropping it off at their office, or mailing it in.
It is important to return the monitor as soon as possible, so you can get results back quickly., Depending on your method of returning the monitor, it could take from several days to several weeks to get your results back.
During this time, your doctor will download the data from the sleep apnea monitor, analyze the results, and formulate a diagnosis., Once you doctor has the results of your study, they'll either order more testing (like another sleep study), or they'll inform you that you have sleep apnea.
Depending on whether you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea, they'll recommend a specific course of treatment.
They may:
Recommend you use a CPAP machine, which will continually blow oxygen through your nostrils and help keep your airways open while you sleep.
Suggest surgery.
For some people, sleep apnea may be alleviated through surgery.
Very often, this takes the form of nasal surgery to improve your ability to breath through your nose.
Ask you to lose weight.
For some patients, weight loss can decrease the severity of sleep apnea.
About the Author
Carol Kelly
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.
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