Home Sleep Testing and In-Lab Testing in Connecticut

Waterstone Sleep & Neuroscience Associates, a leading sleep center in Connecticut, provides home sleep studies, sleep apnea studies, and overnight sleep studies for evaluating sleep disorders. If you suspect that you may have a sleep disorder, schedule an evaluation with our doctors, the trusted sleep medicine specialists in Madison, Hamden and New London, CT.

What is an overnight sleep study?

An overnight sleep study, also referred to as a polysomnography test, is a service provided by Waterstone Sleep & Neuroscience to monitor the sleep patterns of a patient throughout the night. Overnight sleep studies are performed by one of our affiliated sleep labs in Connecticut. 

During an overnight sleep study at a sleep lab, a patient’s body functions – including brain waves, breathing, and heart rate – are recorded during sleep. This enables sleep disorder specialists to diagnose sleep disorders with higher accuracy. Some sleep disorders that are commonly detected through sleep studies include restless legs syndrome (RLS), circadian rhythm disorders, and sleep apnea.

Our overnight sleep studies are performed in a comfortable room where every convenience you require will be provided to you. To prepare for an overnight sleep study, bring your usual toiletries, pajamas, and a favorite pillow or blanket if desired. Refrain from taking naps during the day, eating or drinking anything with caffeine, and applying products to your hair. 

An overnight sleep study may also be required as part of a DOT evaluation or pre-operative sleep apnea screening.

What is an at-home sleep study?

Similar to an overnight sleep study, an at-home sleep study – also referred to as a home sleep test (HST) – is done to monitor a patient’s body functions during sleep. Rather than staying overnight at a sleep lab, the home sleep study can be done from home and does not require a professional sleep lab technician to perform the testing.

Instead, patients take the HST machine home with them, or it is mailed to them after a sleep consult has been conducted. The machine stores all the information gathered about the patient’s body through the night, and a sleep specialist analyzes it when the patient returns the device.

Home sleep studies may be better for patients who are unable to fall asleep in unfamiliar environments or prefer sleeping in their own beds. Home sleep studies may be more accurate at diagnosing a typical night’s sleep, without any outside interference.

A home sleep study is a more comfortable and convenient method of testing for sleep disorders, but it is only capable of gathering information necessary to diagnose certain types of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. In some cases, an overnight in-lab sleep study may still be the recommended sleep study option.

Why is a sleep study performed?

At-home and overnight sleep studies gather information about a patient’s body functions during sleep and are performed primarily in order to evaluate and diagnose a potential sleep disorder. Some common reasons for having a sleep study performed include:

• To diagnose a suspected sleep disorder
• To detect breathing and oxygen level abnormalities during sleep
• To uncover reasons for daytime symptoms, such as fatigue or inability to focus
• To monitor treatment progress and make adjustments to treatment, if needed

What are the advantages of a sleep study?

Having a home or overnight sleep study is the best way to evaluate the quality of your sleep and diagnose possible health risks. The first step to treating a sleep disorder is to identify and diagnose the condition. Advantages of at home and overnight sleep studies include:

• Non-invasive procedure
• Designed for patient comfort
• Involves no pain
• Analyzes multiple body functions at the same time
• Produces immediate results
• Supports data-driven sleep disorder diagnosis

What if I can’t sleep during a sleep study?

A sleep study is not done in a typical hospital or clinical feeling environment. All the diagnostic and sleep study tools and equipment needed are used, but the room you will have the sleep study in is more comfortable.

We, of course, want you to have the best quality of sleep you can, in any environment, but make the sleep study room as comfortable as we can for you. There is also the option to have a sleep study done at home, which of course should provide the usual amount of comfort for you.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a possible sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and believe you may need an overnight or at home sleep study, the first step is to schedule an appointment with a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine. Our doctor is a trusted sleep and neuroscience specialist in CT, who is known for diagnosing all kinds of sleep disorders. Call 203-826-1163 today, or schedule an appointment with our sleep center today using this form.