Home Sleep Study: Patient Information Sheet
Home sleep study
If loud snoring or pauses in breathing are raising questions about your sleep, a home sleep study can help provide clearer answers. The test records important information about your breathing overnight while you sleep in your own bed.
What is a home sleep study?
A home sleep study is an overnight test used to look for changes in your breathing while you’re asleep. You wear a small portable monitoring device at home, so you don’t usually need to spend the night in a sleep clinic.
It’s commonly used to investigate sleep apnoea, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea. This happens when the airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, causing breathing to become shallow or stop for short periods.
The exact measurements can vary depending on the equipment used. Your care team will explain what your device records and how to fit it correctly.
What can a home sleep study show?
The information collected overnight can help your doctor understand what happens to your breathing while you sleep. Depending on the type of study, it may record:
- How often your breathing becomes shallow or stops for short periods
- Changes in airflow and the effort your body makes to breathe
- Drops in your blood oxygen level during the night
- Your heart rate while you’re asleep
These results can help show if sleep apnoea is present and give an indication of how much it’s affecting your breathing.
A home test isn’t right for every sleep problem. If the findings are unclear or more detailed monitoring is needed, your doctor may recommend an overnight study in a sleep clinic.
Why might I need a home sleep study?
Your doctor may suggest an overnight study if your symptoms could be caused by a breathing problem during sleep.
This may include:
- Loud or frequent snoring
- Breathing pauses noticed by someone else, sometimes followed by gasping
- Feeling very sleepy or struggling to stay alert during the day
- Regularly waking without feeling refreshed
A consultation with our Respiratory and Sleep Medicine team can help determine which type of investigation is most appropriate for you.
Preparing for a home sleep study
You’ll receive instructions explaining how to use your equipment. As different monitoring devices can work slightly differently, follow the guidance provided with your kit.
Before the study:
- Read through the instructions before you’re ready to go to bed
- Keep to your usual evening routine unless your care team advises you differently
- Check that you have all the equipment you’ve been given
- Contact the clinic if you’re unsure how to attach or use any part of the device
Don’t make changes to prescribed medicines unless your doctor has specifically asked you to.
What happens during a home sleep study?
You’ll be given a monitoring kit and shown how to use it. Equipment varies, but it can include a small recording device, a finger probe, a sensor around your chest and another near your nose.
When you’re ready for bed, you’ll fit the equipment as instructed. The device then collects information while you sleep.
You should try to sleep as naturally as you can. The test is painless and doesn’t involve needles.
In the morning, you can remove the equipment and return it according to the instructions provided.
Recovering from a home sleep study
There’s no recovery period after a home sleep study. Once you’ve removed the monitoring equipment, you can get on with your day as usual.
Your results will be reviewed after the recording has been returned. Your doctor will explain what the findings mean and discuss any further investigation or treatment that may be appropriate.
If the sensors move during the night or the device doesn’t collect enough information, you may need to repeat the test.
Risks of a home sleep study
Home sleep studies are non-invasive and generally very safe. Some people may experience:
- Mild skin irritation or temporary discomfort from the sensors
- An incomplete recording if part of the equipment moves or comes loose
If you have any concerns about using the equipment, speak to your care team before starting the study.
Book a private home sleep study with Complete Health Australia
If poor sleep or changes in your breathing at night are affecting you, our Respiratory and Sleep Medicine team can help you find out what’s going on.
We can assess your symptoms and arrange appropriate testing. Once your results are available, you’ll receive a clear explanation of what they show and what may need to happen next.
Meet our specialists
Our respiratory and sleep physicians care for people with suspected sleep apnoea and other breathing problems that occur during sleep. They’ll look at your test results alongside the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, so you can understand the findings and your next steps.
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