Need a Sleep Apnea Diagnosis? Find Out How a Sleep Study Works

Unfortunately, an estimated 80% of people who have sleep apnea haven’t been diagnosed, putting them at serious risk for chronic fatigue, heart disease, depression and anxiety, obesity and more. But the good news is that diagnosing sleep apnea in The Woodlands is as simple as having a sleep study, which enables you to get the treatment you need to improve your health and quality of life. Keep reading to learn more about how sleep apnea is diagnosed and find out what to expect from a sleep study. With this information, you’ll be taking the first step towards better health!

How Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

If you think you may have sleep apnea, the best place to start is speaking with a sleep doctor or dentist. They’ll conduct a thorough exam and ask if you’ve noticed any of these common signs and symptoms:

• Loud snoring or periodically gasping for breath at night (clearly, these can only be reported by someone else, so it’s difficult for someone who sleeps alone to identify these symptoms)
• Daytime fatigue or a chronic lack of energy
• Mood disorders such as depression and irritability
• Headaches in the morning
• Having a dry mouth or sore throat each morning
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Feeling unfocused at work or school

If a doctor or dentist thinks you may have sleep apnea, they’ll refer you for a sleep study for a diagnosis.

What Is a Sleep Study Like?

A sleep study is a painless, non-invasive test that’s conducted overnight in a sleep center. You could compare it to sleeping in a hotel room under the supervision of a doctor. The idea is for you to be as comfortable as possible, so you can wear your own pajamas, bring a book, fall asleep to a fan, or use anything else you normally would to simulate a normal night’s sleep.

Most people arrive between 8-10pm and leave the next day between 6-8am. As you sleep, you’ll be monitored by an EEG that records your breathing, sleep stages and cycles such as REM, eye movements, oxygen levels, heart rate, snoring, and more.

With this information, a sleep doctor can determine if you have sleep apnea or other conditions such as restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, insomnia, or nighttime behaviors such as sleepwalking.

Once a diagnosis has been made, you and your doctor can be sure that you’re treating the right condition. Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment has come a long way in recent years, so many people with mild to moderate sleep apnea get effective treatment from simple, non-invasive oral appliance therapy.

Sleep apnea affects your health and well-being on many levels. By getting a diagnosis and treatment, you can greatly reduce the impact of this condition and lead a healthier, happier life.

About the Author

In the four decades that Dr. Robert Dernick  has practiced dentistry in The Woodlands, he’s seen firsthand how much sleep apnea affects his patients’ quality of life. Since this condition is often undiagnosed, he closely evaluates his patients for signs and symptoms and recommends a sleep study whenever necessary. If you have any questions about sleep apnea or think you could benefit from a sleep study, he can be contacted via his website.