In the past, gaining access to tests to help identify the presence of sleep apnoea has been slow and difficult. This was because orginally very thorough overnight sleep studies in a sleep laboratory were recommended, in which brain waves and various other bodily functions were measured whilst asleep. Very few of these well-equipped clinics existed. Whilst this type of testing is still very important for complex sleep conditions, obstructive sleep apnoea is relatively straight-forward to identify, and so requires less complex testing.

Which test options are available to me?

Pulse Oximetry

This equipment has the advantage of being very simple to set up and can be used to perform an easy in-home sleep study. It measures your blood oxygen levels and heart rate throughout the night. When the data is considered alongside a comprehensive questionnaire assessing your symtoms, in most cases it will be able to give a good picture as to whether OSA is a problem or not, particularly in those who are overweight.

Multi-channel Sleep Study

This is a more comprehensive test, advisable if you have pre-existing heart or lung problems or are extremely overweight (with a BMI over 40) or if you are a normal weight but suspect you have many of the symptoms of sleep apnoea. In addition to the heart rate and blood oxygen levels, this test also records your airflow, sleep position and chest movement to give the sleep technician a more detailed view of your sleep and breathing patterns.

Full Polysomnography (PSG)

This is the test discussed in the first paragraph, and requires an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory, and is usually only considered necessary for very complex cases.

Where can I get these tests from?

Via your GP and the NHS

You can visit your GP to discuss your concerns, but be aware that sleep medicine is a specialised field and in most cases your GP will refer you to a sleep consultant or sleep clinic for assessment. The waiting time varies greatly for every area in th UK (weeks to many months) and funding for your treatment, should you need it, may or may not be available.

Via Intus Healthcare

If you find the waiting lists via the NHS too long or are simply wanting to be proactive and get to the bottom of your health problems yourself, then an in-home sleep study can be ordered privately via Intus Healthcare. We have experienced staff to help you make your decision and qualified sleep technicians to interpret the data collected during the sleep study. This process usually takes approximately 1 week and costs from as little as £99!

To read more about a private in-home sleep study see "Our Websites".