How much does an at home sleep study cost

Sleep Sleep Science

Do you find yourself waking up tired, or maybe with a headache or dry mouth? Obstructive sleep apnea could be to blame. This happens when your breathing is interrupted during sleep, often for more than ten seconds.

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The Facts About At-home Sleep Tests
They monitor breathing, not actual sleep.
Your doctor needs to prescribe it.
It uses sensors to detect breathing patterns.
It’s a small commitment.
It’s convenient.
It doesn’t completely rule out apnea.
You might have other sleep issues.
How can I get accurate results from an at-home sleep test?
How much does a Sleep Study cost in Delhi/Gurgaon/NCR?
Latest Updates
How accurate are home sleep studies?
Can I do a sleep study on my own?
Is a sleep study worth it?
Can home sleep study diagnose sleep apnea?

When you sleep, your muscles relax, including the throat and chest muscles that help you breathe. If you have sleep apnea, relaxation of throat muscles combine with a narrowed airway to interrupt breathing.

At-home sleep apnea testing is an easy, cost-effective way to figure out whether you’re having trouble breathing. A home sleep apnea test is a very simplified breathing monitor that tracks your breathing, oxygen levels, and breathing effort while worn. It does not fully capture what is monitored with an overnight sleep study. Overnight sleep studies give a more thorough assessment of sleep issues. They are attended by a sleep technologist and capture many more signals, including brainwaves for sleep, muscle tone, and leg movements. For people with certain heart, breathing, or neuromuscular problems, an overnight sleep study at a sleep center may be better.

An at-home sleep apnea test may be appropriate for you if you have signs of obstructive sleep apnea, such as:

A sleep partner reporting that you snore, snort or gasp while sleeping
Disrupted sleep
Daytime sleepiness

Talk with your clinical provider about your options, especially if you are overweight or obese.

Here’s what to know about the test.

The Facts About At-home Sleep Tests

They monitor breathing, not actual sleep.
A sleep test is meant to evaluate a patient for sleep apnea, and it monitors breathing parameters, not the sleep itself. The sleep test won’t analyze how long you’re in light or deep sleep, for instance. Instead, it will measure pauses in and absence of breathing, how much effort it takes to breathe and whether your breathing is deep or shallow.
Your doctor needs to prescribe it.
This isn’t an over-the-counter test. Your primary care physician or a physician at a sleep clinic can order it for you to use at home.
It uses sensors to detect breathing patterns.
The sensors include a small probe over your finger that measures oxygen levels. You’ll insert another mask with tubes into your nostrils and secure it around your ears, similar to an oxygen mask. Other sensors are placed on your abdomen and chest to measure their rise and fall as you breathe.
It’s a small commitment.
Most at-home sleep tests are used just for one night. It’s also less expensive than a sleep study conducted in a clinic ― anywhere from a third to a fifth of the cost of doing an in-lab study and often covered by insurance.
It’s convenient.
With an at-home study, you’ll be in the comfort of your own surroundings, which can mean a more accurate reading of how you actually sleep.
It doesn’t completely rule out apnea.
After the test, your results will be reviewed by a sleep technologist and sent to your physician. If symptoms persist, your physician might recommend an in-lab study. Home tests can sometimes be inaccurate: For instance, your sensors might fall off during the night. At a lab, a physician is on-site to monitor you.
You might have other sleep issues.
Not all sleep disorders are characterized by breathing trouble. If your symptoms persist, you might not have apnea. Other common sleep issues that don’t affect the airways include movement disorders that cause nighttime restlessness or narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that affects the body’s sleep-wake cycles and causes excessive sleepiness. Your physician can work with you to pinpoint the cause.

How can I get accurate results from an at-home sleep test?

“For the most accurate home sleep apnea reading, it’s best to have sleep time on your back and side,” Patil says. Sleep apnea is typically worse when sleepers are on their backs, and side sleeping can ease apnea. Knowing what happens when you sleep in different positions can help your doctor pinpoint whether you have apnea or some other sleep issue.

How much does a Sleep Study cost in Delhi/Gurgaon/NCR?

We at Sleep Cure Solutions get frequent calls from patient’s who have been advised Sleep Study by their GP/Doctor. The most common question asked is “How much will the Sleep Study cost ?This is part of an exercise they embark upon trying to check and compare the cost with various service providers .The answer to this question is so baffling that it leaves them even more confused. We regularly get patients who are quoted anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 Rupees for a Sleep Study !!!

To get them out of this dilemma and to Empower them I am elaborating on some key points about the Costs of Sleep Studies.

– At present time none of the health insurances in India cover the cost of a sleep study thus it is mostly out of pocket expense.

– There are different levels of Sleep Studies and all sleep studies are not the same.
– A level 1 sleep study (Polysomnography) is an in lab sleep study. The costs of this can vary depending upon the hospital it is being done and the cost in Delhi /Gurgaon/NCR vary between Rs 15000 to 20000. Although it has been the ‘gold standard’ for long but advancements in technology and the portability many patients may not require and can avoid having to sleep in a lab. However patients with co-morbidities should undergo in-lab study.
– Home sleep test (HST) – these are gaining popularity around the world. It should be emphasized that all HST’s are not the same.
– A comprehensive Home Sleep Study (attended level 2 study) is the most popular level of testing. This involves a trained technician putting on the leads and sensors and observing the sleep in your bedroom. The titration is done wherever required. This sort of testing is not possible in the West where it is not possible to have techs staying overnight thus does not find much mention in the medical literature. Sleep Cure Solutions team has the experience of over 3000 such tests and have mastered this testing pathway. These tests typically costs between Rs 8000 – Rs 12000.
– Level 3 sleep tests (unattended level 3 HST) are self- administered (sometimes techs may be asked to administer this just to jack up the costs) sleep tests to rule in Sleep Apnea and are done where the Sleep Apnea is very obvious and there are time and cost constraints. There is no monitoring of sleep (no EEG, EMG, EOG) but just the cardio-respiratory parameters during sleep. There is no provision for titration in this. These tests cost between Rs 2000 to Rs 5000.
As with any other modality it is very important to understand & ensure some of the basics and things like who is recommending the test, who is going to do it, what are the credentials of the Sleep Physician etc.Unfortunately the Sleep Medicine Healthcare Sector is unregulated and Vendors (suppliers of CPAP machines) are doing Sleep studies left right and centre often at throw away prices without really understanding the science and leaving behind a trail of unsatisfied customers. They often have ‘fixed reports’ all advising buying a CPAP machine
As an empowered customer it is your duty and right to get the best service that your money can buy but that would mean doing your homework.
Sleep Cure Solutions with it’s unique business model of utilizing the strength of our backend operations( helping subsidize our local work) is able to provide services at about 30% less cost to the patients. We have been at the forefront of training and are playing a pioneering role in the emergence of Sleep Medicine. The service is led by an American Board Certified Sleep Physician who has been mentoring physicians in this region. We feel happy and privileged to pass on the benefits of our business model, and our expertise to our patients.

Author :Dr Prerana Garg is the Medical Director at Sleep Cure Solutions. She believes that by doing full disclosure and transparency about everything we do in our practice–especially when it comes to cost we can build trust with our patients and we should not shy away from it.

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Latest Updates

How accurate are home sleep studies?

A home test only measures breathing, not actual sleep, so results can be inconclusive or falsely negative. Patients with OSA often breathe through their mouths, which may lead to inaccurate signals. Although rare, a self-administered device may become loose on the finger at night, too.

Can I do a sleep study on my own?

At-home sleep apnea testing is an easy, cost-effective way to figure out whether you're having trouble breathing. A home sleep apnea test is a very simplified breathing monitor that tracks your breathing, oxygen levels, and breathing effort while worn.

Is a sleep study worth it?

A sleep study provides valuable insight into the causes of a person's symptoms including which, if any, sleep disorder is present. Sleep studies are also used in people diagnosed with sleep disorders to monitor their response to treatment.

Can home sleep study diagnose sleep apnea?

Home sleep apnea tests The data are interpreted by a sleep medicine specialist and, in the right clinical setting, can provide an accurate diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. In recent years, an increasing number of patients are being diagnosed with home sleep apnea tests (HSATs).

home sleep study cost