What is home sleep testing?
A home sleep test (HST) is an FDA-cleared way to screen for obstructive sleep apnea without spending a night in a lab. Your sleep physician sends you home with a small, easy-to-use device. You wear it for one night in your own bed, then return it — and we read the data to see whether your breathing pauses during sleep.
For many people with straightforward, suspected sleep apnea, home testing gives us everything we need to make a confident diagnosis and start you on the right treatment.
What the device measures
Your breathing
Sensors track airflow and breathing effort to detect pauses (apneas) and shallow breaths (hypopneas). Together these give your AHI — the apnea-hypopnea index, the events-per-hour score that grades how severe your apnea is.
Your oxygen
A small fingertip sensor measures blood oxygen levels, showing when your levels dip during breathing events.
Your heart rate
Pulse data helps show how your body responds to interrupted breathing while you sleep.
Snoring & position
Many devices also record snoring and body position, which can point to what makes your apnea better or worse.
Is home testing right for you?
Home testing is a great fit for adults with a high likelihood of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and no major complicating conditions. You may be a good candidate if you have:
- 1 Loud, chronic snoring
- 2 Witnessed pauses in breathing
- 3 Waking up gasping or choking
- 4 Daytime sleepiness & fatigue
- 5 No serious heart or lung disease
- 6 Otherwise generally healthy
When you need an in-lab study instead
Home testing looks only for obstructive sleep apnea — it measures your breathing, not your brain waves or sleep stages — so it isn't the right tool for everyone. Your physician may recommend a supervised, overnight study in our accredited lab if you have a more complex picture — for example:
Not sure which one you need? That's exactly what your consultation is for — your physician will match the test to your situation, so you don't have to decide on your own.
What to expect, step by step
Getting your results
Once your device is returned, your data is downloaded and interpreted by a board-certified sleep physician — not just software. You'll get a clear explanation of what we found and, if apnea is present, a treatment plan built around your life.
If your home test is normal but you still feel exhausted, we don't just send you on your way. We'll talk through the next best step, which may include an in-lab study to look deeper.