Your doctor may recommend a sleep apnea test if they suspect you have it. You can test for sleep apnea at home or in-lab, depending on your preferences and your doctor’s suggestions.

You’ll likely undergo a nighttime sleep test that monitors your breathing if your doctor thinks you may have sleep apnea.

Let’s take a closer look at the test options available for diagnosing sleep apnea.

If your doctor suspects sleep apnea, they may recommend a sleep monitoring test to monitor your breathing and other vital signs.

You can test for sleep apnea at home or in a hospital, lab, or clinic setting. Which option is right for you depends on your preferences and your doctor’s recommendations. Each test has both pros and cons.

In-lab sleep study (polysomnography)

Also called a sleep study or polysomnography (PSG), this test involves spending the night at a lab, clinic, or hospital. It’s used to diagnose sleep apnea, along with a wide range of other sleep disorders.

Many sleep studies generally take place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. This time frame may not be optimal if you’re a night owl or morning lark.

Sleep studies are noninvasive. However, you’ll have a variety of wires attached to your body. This enables the sleep technician to monitor your breathing, brain activity, and other vital signs while you’re asleep.

What to expect from an in-lab sleep study

You’ll stay in a private room designed to make you feel comfortable, much like a hotel room. Bring pajamas and anything else you usually need to sleep.

The more relaxed you are, the better the technician can monitor your sleep. Once you fall asleep, the technician will monitor the following:

  • your sleep cycle, as determined by your brain waves and eye movements
  • your heart rate and blood pressure
  • your breathing, including:
    • oxygen levels
    • breathing lapses
    • snoring
  • your position and any limb movements

Types of in-lab sleep studies

There are two formats for sleep studies: full night and split night.

During a full-night sleep study, your sleep will be monitored for an entire night. You may need to return to the lab at a later date to set up a device to help you breathe if you receive a sleep apnea diagnosis.

During a split-night study, the first half of the night is used to monitor your sleep. The second half is used to set up the treatment device if sleep apnea is diagnosed.

Pros and cons of in-lab sleep study

In-lab sleep tests have advantages and disadvantages. Talk with your doctor about your test preference.

Pros of in-lab sleep study

  • Most accurate: An in-lab sleep test is considered the gold standard of diagnostic testing for sleep apnea.
  • Option of split-night study: Split-night studies allow for diagnosis and treatment in a single night.
  • Best for certain types of work: People who pose a serious risk to themselves or others if they fall asleep on the job should participate in an in-lab sleep study to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
  • Best for people with other sleep disorders or complications: In-lab monitoring is more suitable for people with other health conditions, including heart and lung diseases.

Cons of in-lab sleep study

  • Costly: In-lab tests can cost up to $3,500 out-of-pocket. If you have health insurance, your provider may cover some or all of the cost. Some require the results of an at-home test before you can do an in-lab test.
  • Less accessible: In-lab studies require transportation to and from the lab, which may be time consuming or costly, depending on where you live.
  • Longer wait times: Depending on the demand for this test where you live, you may have to wait several weeks or months to take the test.
  • Less convenient: Taking an in-lab sleep test is more likely to disrupt your work schedule or interfere with your daily routine.

At-home sleep test

Your doctor might suggest at-home sleep monitoring if your symptoms and risk factors strongly suggest sleep apnea.

An at-home sleep apnea test is a simplified version of an in-lab test without a technician. Instead, your doctor will prescribe a portable breathing monitor kit to take home.

Your results will be sent to your doctor after the test. They will contact you to discuss them and identify treatment, if necessary.

What to expect from an at-home sleep test

Follow your regular bedtime routine on the night of the test. Pay special attention to the instructions provided with the kit to ensure you correctly hook up the monitoring sensors.

Most at-home sleep apnea monitors are easy to set up. They generally include:

  • a finger clip that measures your oxygen levels and heart rate
  • a nasal cannula to measure oxygen and airflow
  • sensors to track the rise and fall of your chest

An at-home test doesn’t measure your sleep cycles or position or limb movements during the night.

Pros and cons of an at-home sleep test

At-home sleep tests have advantages and disadvantages. Talk with your doctor about your test preference.

Pros of at-home sleep test

  • More convenient: You can more realistically follow your nightly routine, which might provide a more accurate reading of how you breathe when you’re sleeping than in-lab testing.
  • Less costly: At-home tests cost approximately $100 to $500, and insurance is more likely to cover them.
  • More accessible: At-home tests may be a more realistic option for people who live far from a sleep center. If necessary, you can receive the monitor by mail.
  • Faster results: You can do the test as soon as you have the portable breathing monitor. This may lead to faster results than an in-lab test.

Cons of at-home sleep test

  • Less accurate: Test errors are more likely without a technician present. At-home tests don’t reliably detect all cases of sleep apnea. This can be potentially dangerous if you have a high risk job or another health condition.
  • May require in-lab follow-up: Your doctor might still suggest an in-lab sleep test whether your results are positive or negative. And if you receive a sleep apnea diagnosis, you might still need to spend a night in the lab to have a therapeutic device fitted.
  • Doesn’t test for other sleep problems: At-home tests only measure breathing, heart rate, and oxygen levels. They don’t detect other common sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy.

A doctor or sleep specialist will interpret the results of your in-lab or at-home sleep apnea test.

Doctors use the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) to diagnose sleep apnea. This scale includes a measurement of the number of apneas, or lapses in breath, per hour of sleep during the study.

People who don’t have sleep apnea or have a mild form of sleep apnea usually experience fewer than 5 apneas per hour. People who have severe sleep apnea may experience more than 30 sleep apneas per hour.

Doctors also review your oxygen levels when diagnosing sleep apnea. While there’s no accepted cutoff level for sleep apnea, if your blood oxygen levels are lower than average, it may be a sign of sleep apnea.

Your doctor may recommend repeating the test if the results are unclear. If sleep apnea isn’t found but your symptoms continue, your doctor may recommend another test.

From your test results, your doctor may discuss treatment options with you. These can include:

Both in-lab and at-home sleep apnea tests measure vital functions, such as breathing patterns, heart rate, and oxygen levels. The results of these tests can help your doctor determine whether you have sleep apnea.

A polysomnography (PSG) conducted in a lab is the most accurate test available to diagnose sleep apnea.

At-home sleep apnea tests have reasonable accuracy. But they’re more cost-effective and convenient.