If you have been feeling exceptionally tired during the day and for no apparent reason, then you might be suffering from the sleep disorder known as apnea. It may be wise to take a sleep apnea test to make a diagnosis.
In some people apnea can be very serious. Any type of sleep disorder will have a detrimental effect. By not being fully rested at night it is quite common to feel a high degree of irritability, anxiety, worry, forgetfulness, as well as tiredness. It may result in you having to take time off from work simply because you cannot concentrate. The physical symptoms involve the closing of the airway due to the relaxation of the muscles that are present. This in turn leads to an inability to breath; if there is not enough oxygen in the bloodstream the brain will send out a signal which then causes the person to wake up and swallow air.
Sleep Apnea Test – Record Yourself While You Are Asleep
Before you can get yourself admitted to a specialist sleep clinic for medical tests it may be sensible to ask a family member or friend to watch over you while you sleep. They should be able to observe any events associated with breathing problems. If you live alone then you could set up a web cam or video camera to record yourself while you are asleep.
Also there are sleep apnea at home test kits, which you can use to determine if you have sleep apnea, before going to a specialist. Here are two such alternatives.
1) Sleep Strip – Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) At Home Screen Test Kit
- Accurate & Reliable
- FDA and CE approved
- Professional use only
- CPT Code
- Results in 30+ minutes
- It costs $79.95
2) Apnea Home Test By Nasivent
- Disposable “Sleep Apnea” “Home Test”. Overnight Sleep Apnea check. Light as a feather to wear.
This test will inform you just in one night, the emergence Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS)- Simple to accomplish, comes with clear step by step instruction
- Computerized Test. FDA approved. Comparable with “over-night” hospital check.
- You can view a clear video Tutorial down bellow. After you watch the video, if you want to buy or read more about this product, click the link above or the image of the product.
- It costs $49.95
Here is one review written by a person who bought this sleep apnea test.
“I am delighted with the ease of use and performance of this product. First, for those of you who think you couldn’t sleep with this on .. no problem. Light as a feather, you won’t know it’s there, and despite the pictures above, no part of it goes in your nose (more below).
For $50 I have confirmation of probably severe sleep apnea. I will go for professional evaluation and if the results are different, I will post that information. My primary reason for professional evaluation – other than getting the prescribed products – will be to differentiate between central (rare) and obstructive (more common) sleep apnea. From my research, I seem to be at risk for both (which can occur in mixed form as well) and which are treated somewhat differently.”
If you suspect that sleep apnea is an issue, the next step would be to consult your physician. They are likely to ask you a series of questions relating to your condition as well as carrying out a physical examination and various tests. The tests such as blood pressure and blood samples are mainly used to rule out other illnesses as being a cause.
Another great help might be Zeo – Personal Sleep Coach. Click the link if you want to read some customer reviews or to buy. Here it is a portion of such a review made by somebody who bought Zeo:
“The Zeo can help you really figure out in great detail what is going on for you personally with your sleep. You might need to stop drinking caffeine earlier in the day (I stop at 2:30 PM now), encourage your young kids to not wake you up at night (I literally now give my kids dessert after breakfast, but only if they don’t wake us up in the middle of the night (and yes, this does work)). Zeo can help you figure out exactly what’s going on with your sleep to a much greater and more detailed extent than any medical professional outside of a sleep lab. It’s proven to be a great value for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who is challenged with sleep and daily fatigue.”
- Zeo tells you how you really sleep, and helps you find ways to improve your sleep
- Accurately measure your sleep quality and sleep quanity at home
- Discover factors that are stealing your Deep, REM & total sleep
- Analyze your sleep patterns using online tools and journals
- Add sleep coaching for a customized sleep improvement program tailored just for you
- It costs $190
Sleep Apnea Test While Sleeping And Staying Awake
If your doctor suspects that you are suffering from a form of sleep apnea then they can refer you to a specialist center for more advanced tests. One test may involve you lying on a bed in a darkened room and being asked to fall asleep, they will check the amount of time this takes. Conversely they will place you in a darkened room but this time ask you to try to keep awake.
During a sleep apnea test, studies will be carried out while you are actually asleep. There are different types of equipment that can be attached to your body to monitor various signals. One of these is an oximeter. This is a very small sensor which is attached to a finger and will send pulses of light into the skin. By measuring how much of this light gets absorbed the doctors can calculate the amount of oxygen in your blood.
You can buy an oxymeter for your personal use at home. Check this one.
4) Finger Pulse Oximeter SM-110 with Carry Case and Neck/Wrist Cord
- SP02, PR are displayed on screen, simple and convenient operation
- It is light, compact and weight is 50g including batteries
- Low power consumption, two AAA batteries can be continuously operated for 30 hours
- It can be used by a variety of sports enthusiasts,including others interested in measuring oxygen saturation and pulse rate
- Easy to carry : Neck/wrist cord, easy carrying soft case, 1 Year Warranty
- It costs $34.95. Click the link above or the image of the product to buy or to read more reviews and to get more information
And here is a reviewer: “I’m an Occupational Therapy Practitioner and this is what we use to monitor our patients o2 during therapy. It works great! I’ve compared it to the more expensive models and it had accurate readings. A definate must have if you have COPD.”
And another reviewer: “I am 89 and on oxygen all the time. My doctor advised me to purchase and use an oximeter. I found this one for a great price on Amazon, $35.00, and ordered it. Got free shipping. I’ve been using it on a regular basis. Easy to use. Just need to clean it off with alcohol afterwards. Although I have nothing to measure it against, when I’m off my oxygen for awhile, it registers my level to be lower than it should be. After being on oxygen again, it registers where I should be. Can’t wait to take it to my next doctor appointment to measure it against his equipment.”
One type of sleep apnea test is a more advanced test known as polysomnography. During this examination a number of electrodes will be attached to parts of the body. These will then transmit date relating to the stages of sleep that you experience as well as your breathing, pulse, and blood pressure.
