Diagnosing sleep apnea is quite easier nowadays because of the high number of studies and research conducted about it. Experts of sleep physicians already have great knowledge of the things that they need to look at when encountering a patient who may have sleep apnea. The thing about sleep apnea is that sufferers may not even know that they have the condition. Such is due to the fact that they are not really aware that they have episodes wherein they stop breathing while they are sleeping. Thus, most of the time, people who have sleep apnea are left untreated until they develop complications like diabetes and heart diseases.
With such in regard, it is recommended that people who usually do not get good night sleep visit a sleep physician. People who also feel a little tired and sleepy without any reason after waking should also do such. The traditional way of diagnosing or detecting the presence of sleep apnea is through the use of a polysomnograph or polysomnogram. The tests have been called sleep study in the past. Since the episodes occur during deep sleep, the patient will be tested during night time. The patient who will undergo the test should take some considerations before proceeding to the clinic or center.
They should always make sure that they carry their regular medicines if they have one. It is also best to bring their sleeping clothes like pajamas or boxer shorts. They can also bring their own blanket and pillow if they want to. In short, they should make sure that they arrive at the clinic with the things that they normally need when they go to sleep at their house. Such will make sure that they will sleep normally during the test. They should also make sure that they do not take any caffeine products or anything that will make sleeping hard for them.
During the test, patients should expect that a machine will be connected to them. Although such may sound uncomfortable, according to some previous patients, they had no trouble sleeping with the machine on. Electrodes are then placed on the patient's face and scalp. They are the ones that will detect and record the person's brain and muscle activity. After which, a belt is wrapped around the chest and the abdomen. Such will measure the patient's breathing patterns during sleep. A pulse oximeter that looks like a bandage is also placed on the patient's finger. As the name implies, it is responsible for detecting and recording the blood oxygen level throughout the sleep.
The good news is that some clinics or centers already agree that this sleep test you can take at home. Such is due to the fact that they want their patients to feel more comfortable during the test. Similarly, they can also easily fall asleep as compared when they are in the clinic or center. However, there is already a sleep apnea test kit that can be bought. Such is named Apnealink air test and is produced by the company ResMed.