With March 3-10, 2019 designated as National Sleep Awareness Week, Hillside Family Medicine believes that now is the best time to get to the bottom of disorders like sleep apnea. That’s why this team of medical providers offers home sleep studies to help patients to diagnose disorders without causing a major disruption in their lives.

Testing Process

Once testing day comes, it’s recommended that subjects stop drinking caffeine after lunch and refrain from napping — which can impact sleep schedules. You’ll also need to access the portable sleep diagnostic device needed for testing, which can be picked up from the clinic where you will receive instructions on how to use the device properly. Sensors are attached to the body, which take readings as you sleep. All you’ll need to do once the sensors are attached is sleep as you normally would.  The only request is that you get at least 6 hours of sleep in order to get an optimal reading.

How Results Are Tallied

Your medical provider will then go over the test results to determine if sleep apnea is an issue. If so, your medical provider will devise a solution that addresses your health needs — such as recommending a CPAP machine, positional therapy or an oral appliance. Results may also be inconclusive — usually due to lack of data. In this case, further testing might be required, and you may be asked to undergo an additional sleep study.

Benefits of Home Sleep Studies

Perhaps the biggest benefit of home sleep studies is the most obvious. Because you’ll be sleeping in the comfort of your own home, your medical team will be privy to improved accuracy regarding your results. When sleeping in a clinic or doctor’s office, many people experience difficulty falling asleep, which can get in the way of testing.

A sleep disorder of any kind is a serious medical issue that requires the assistance of a knowledgeable health care professional. That’s why the medical providers at Hillside Family Medicine LLC & Occupational Medicine want to make the process of sleep disorder testing as convenient and stress-free as possible. Call (907) 344-0200 option 1 today to schedule an appointment. You can also visit the website for more information on the complete list of services.