What good is a sleep study?
July 28, 2024 2:20 AM Subscribe
Is a sleep study at all beneficial?
For a very, very long time (years!) I’ve had this issue with not getting enough sleep. I fall asleep just fine. My problem is waking entirely too early. Yesterday, for example, I was up at 3:00am. Today, I managed to sleep until 4:30. I simply wake-up and cannot fall back asleep.
My doctor has decided to have me undergo a sleep study. Fine. Cool. It seems like the thing to do these days.
However, since scheduling an intake interview for the study, I’ve spoken with a couple of friends about their experiences doing a sleep study, and I came away feeling that sleep studies aren’t really helpful unless your problem is snoring.
My cynical mind is beginning to feel sleep studies are just something you put yourself through in order to check a box to get your insurance to approve (and pay for) a CPAP machine. Both my friends are bad snorers. I, OTOH, rarely, if ever, snore. It’s definitely not an issue in my particular sleep issues.
If you, fellow MeFite, have undergone a sleep study, did you feel it was ultimately helpful in straightening out your sleep issues? Or was is a waste of your time? Something in between?
Thanks!
For a very, very long time (years!) I’ve had this issue with not getting enough sleep. I fall asleep just fine. My problem is waking entirely too early. Yesterday, for example, I was up at 3:00am. Today, I managed to sleep until 4:30. I simply wake-up and cannot fall back asleep.
My doctor has decided to have me undergo a sleep study. Fine. Cool. It seems like the thing to do these days.
However, since scheduling an intake interview for the study, I’ve spoken with a couple of friends about their experiences doing a sleep study, and I came away feeling that sleep studies aren’t really helpful unless your problem is snoring.
My cynical mind is beginning to feel sleep studies are just something you put yourself through in order to check a box to get your insurance to approve (and pay for) a CPAP machine. Both my friends are bad snorers. I, OTOH, rarely, if ever, snore. It’s definitely not an issue in my particular sleep issues.
If you, fellow MeFite, have undergone a sleep study, did you feel it was ultimately helpful in straightening out your sleep issues? Or was is a waste of your time? Something in between?
Thanks!
Ultimately helpful. It was, shall we say, a journey.
There are over 80 sleep disorders. Depending on how extensive the particular sleep study is, it can measure quite a few things your body experiences while asleep. And the data gathered isn't going to hurt anything -- it's neutral to positive information in helping understand what's going on.
Snoring is moderately to significantly correlated with sleep apnea, but that symptom and sleep disorder combo is nowhere near 100% co-occurring. Many people have sleep apnea who don't snore.
Sounds like you experience sleep maintenance insomnia. Could be sleep apnea is involved, could be something(s) else. Best wishes to you in getting more info, an accurate and complete diagnosis, and effective treatment!
posted by concinnity at 4:40 AM on July 28 [6 favorites]
There are over 80 sleep disorders. Depending on how extensive the particular sleep study is, it can measure quite a few things your body experiences while asleep. And the data gathered isn't going to hurt anything -- it's neutral to positive information in helping understand what's going on.
Snoring is moderately to significantly correlated with sleep apnea, but that symptom and sleep disorder combo is nowhere near 100% co-occurring. Many people have sleep apnea who don't snore.
Sounds like you experience sleep maintenance insomnia. Could be sleep apnea is involved, could be something(s) else. Best wishes to you in getting more info, an accurate and complete diagnosis, and effective treatment!
posted by concinnity at 4:40 AM on July 28 [6 favorites]
My previous sleep study question. (On the basis of the answers and some of my own data-taking, I decided not to pursue the sleep study.)
posted by heatherlogan at 5:03 AM on July 28
posted by heatherlogan at 5:03 AM on July 28
For me it was helpful in ruling out things so I knew that my bad sleep was ‘just’ fibromyalgia.
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
I have the same issue you do and my experience was ENTIRELY "just to rule out sleep apnea" because the "send you home with a gadget" version only checks that. I think there are fancier sleep studies out there, but I wasn't offered one as an option.
I'm still working on the issue myself. New psych offered me a new med to try and wanted me to go through a round of blood tests (I already did that this year though, nothing), but a further sleep study so far hasn't been on the table.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:13 AM on July 28
I'm still working on the issue myself. New psych offered me a new med to try and wanted me to go through a round of blood tests (I already did that this year though, nothing), but a further sleep study so far hasn't been on the table.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:13 AM on July 28
It's possible to have sleep apnea without snoring. It's also possible to have sleep apnea without conciously waking up. Even if you think the sleep study is worthless for anything other than sleep apnea, it's responsible to exclude that as a possibility.
For what it's worth, I personally have sleep apnea without conciously waking up in the middle of the night, and generally will just wake up earlier than I desire. Even with my worst untreated sleep apnea I would only perhaps wake up conciously once or twice in the middle of the night, just long enough to fall back asleep.
posted by saeculorum at 8:35 AM on July 28 [3 favorites]
For what it's worth, I personally have sleep apnea without conciously waking up in the middle of the night, and generally will just wake up earlier than I desire. Even with my worst untreated sleep apnea I would only perhaps wake up conciously once or twice in the middle of the night, just long enough to fall back asleep.
posted by saeculorum at 8:35 AM on July 28 [3 favorites]
I had a sleep study and it was all about apnea/snoring. Even though my apnea was mild to moderate, and not an issue when I slept on my side, they still wanted me to get a CPAP, which I'm not interested in.
I have a suspicion that my problem (which sounds just like yours) is related to circadian rhythms, but it's really difficult to find medical practitioners who look at those. Stanford has such a program, but they're not taking any referrals for a year.
posted by jasper411 at 10:13 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
I have a suspicion that my problem (which sounds just like yours) is related to circadian rhythms, but it's really difficult to find medical practitioners who look at those. Stanford has such a program, but they're not taking any referrals for a year.
posted by jasper411 at 10:13 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
I wasn't snoring at the time, but I had apnea. Treating it helped me feel less awful.
posted by metonym at 10:51 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
posted by metonym at 10:51 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
Added as an FYI: I'm being tried on baclofen (had to go find the name of the drug) for the middle of the night wakeups.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:01 AM on July 28
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:01 AM on July 28
A sleep study will find a sleep issue if that issue presents itself during the study. Some sleep issues happen regularly, some do not. So it's possible it didn't help your friend (they didn't have a sleep
issue, or it didn't show during the study). You can ask your doc but if they're recommending it I would say do it. The upside is that it finds something that if treated will make your life much better, and the downside is you slept one night in the world's weirdest hotel.
posted by zippy at 11:25 AM on July 28
issue, or it didn't show during the study). You can ask your doc but if they're recommending it I would say do it. The upside is that it finds something that if treated will make your life much better, and the downside is you slept one night in the world's weirdest hotel.
posted by zippy at 11:25 AM on July 28
It might interest you to know that sleep disturbance is common in movement disorders and that there is some evidence of shared underlying pathology, if you’re looking for alternatives to apnea as an explanation.
posted by jamjam at 12:55 PM on July 28
posted by jamjam at 12:55 PM on July 28
When I went through an extended period of waking from ~2 a.m.-5:30 a.m., I discovered, quite by accident, that significantly better (and early!) hydration fixed the issue. I hope it helps you too, and it's easy enough to try.
posted by kate4914 at 2:39 PM on July 28
posted by kate4914 at 2:39 PM on July 28
I had a sleep study for sleep apnea several years ago. I wasn't feeling fatigued, slept fine through the night, snored sometimes, etc. but they found I had moderate sleep apnea anyway and had me get a CPAP. Because I felt claustrophobic and couldn't think of anything except trying to breathe, I had to take half an Ambien to get to sleep every night, and tore the nasal mask off 2-3 hours into the night without waking, almost every night. I've stopped using it -- I'm actually a little scared of it, because my sleep is worse now than before I got the CPAP. I often wake up at 2:30 or 3:00, need to pee, then can't get back to sleep. And if I drink too much before going to bed, I have to get up every hour to pee.
posted by lhauser at 3:18 PM on July 28
posted by lhauser at 3:18 PM on July 28
Just because you're not snoring doesn't mean you don't have sleep apnea.
A home sleep test is less invasive, but just tests for apnea.
A sleep study where you go in can test for a host of other issues as well.
I will say, I was diagnosed with very mild apnea after my at-home evaluation (an AHI of 7.5) but even though the events weren't frequent, my blood oxygen level dropped really low at several points (bottoming out at 76%, I believe) and that concerned them. With my CPAP machine, my incidence of apnea events went from 7.5 to about 0-1. I feel more rested. I get up less often to pee. I also used to wake up with really terrible anxiety in the morning and that has completely gone away. I was afraid of the machine, but it's basically like some whiz-bang Apple device these days - it's quiet, modern, and sleek. I'm glad I had it done.
And, like, worse case, you go, it's one night, you don't learn anything useful. What's the harm?
I can definitely say my study changed my life for the better.
posted by kbanas at 4:27 PM on July 28
A home sleep test is less invasive, but just tests for apnea.
A sleep study where you go in can test for a host of other issues as well.
I will say, I was diagnosed with very mild apnea after my at-home evaluation (an AHI of 7.5) but even though the events weren't frequent, my blood oxygen level dropped really low at several points (bottoming out at 76%, I believe) and that concerned them. With my CPAP machine, my incidence of apnea events went from 7.5 to about 0-1. I feel more rested. I get up less often to pee. I also used to wake up with really terrible anxiety in the morning and that has completely gone away. I was afraid of the machine, but it's basically like some whiz-bang Apple device these days - it's quiet, modern, and sleek. I'm glad I had it done.
And, like, worse case, you go, it's one night, you don't learn anything useful. What's the harm?
I can definitely say my study changed my life for the better.
posted by kbanas at 4:27 PM on July 28
Yes. Yes. YES.
I have a sleep disorder (DSPD/DSPS), and a sleep study (plus diary tracking) is how I was diagnosed.
It's one of the only ways to conclusively determine if you have a circadian rhythm disorder of any sort. These disorders have nothing to do with snoring, either.
posted by yellowcandy at 6:42 PM on July 28
I have a sleep disorder (DSPD/DSPS), and a sleep study (plus diary tracking) is how I was diagnosed.
It's one of the only ways to conclusively determine if you have a circadian rhythm disorder of any sort. These disorders have nothing to do with snoring, either.
posted by yellowcandy at 6:42 PM on July 28
I think I'm glad I did it? It's been about a year. I did an at home study - my insurance wouldn't cover the lab study even though I have pretty good state insurance. They found moderate sleep apnea and my blood oxygen dropping scarily low several times during the night. So I got the c-pap. I do not love it but I have gotten used to it. Anything that goes on over my nose ends up with me panicking, so I have a bigger but less claustrophobic mask, if that makes sense. I still panic sometimes and I still rip it off in the night sometimes but mostly I wear it dutifully. I like that it tells me every morning how much I slept.
Does it make a difference? Not really. I still wake up at 4 am and can't get back to sleep, just maybe not as often. I still wake up tired. I didn't lose weight. I thought it would be a huge change and it's just been. . . meh. I keep doing it because of the low oxygen thing but, due to a giant health insurance snafu last winter, I've never been reassessed and I don't even know if it's working for that.
All that said, I think it was worth doing anyway. The one night of the sleep study was annoying but not horrifying and at least you're ruling something out.
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:16 PM on July 30
Does it make a difference? Not really. I still wake up at 4 am and can't get back to sleep, just maybe not as often. I still wake up tired. I didn't lose weight. I thought it would be a huge change and it's just been. . . meh. I keep doing it because of the low oxygen thing but, due to a giant health insurance snafu last winter, I've never been reassessed and I don't even know if it's working for that.
All that said, I think it was worth doing anyway. The one night of the sleep study was annoying but not horrifying and at least you're ruling something out.
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:16 PM on July 30
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posted by GenjiandProust at 4:22 AM on July 28