I had basically the same thought. I don’t sleep well now and I didn’t then.
However, it turns out they don’t need much data. The night they did my first sleep study, I woke up a number of times in the double digits in an amount of time that was so annoying to them that they gave up and sent me home early. They were still able to affect a diagnosis (and back it up with quantifiable data, lest you think them fakers). A full night of sleep is helpful to them to do things like verify your symptoms, but it seems not that much is needed.
Also, as others have said, you can do an at home study. I did one of those as well (later) and it was just a finger sensor (basically a pulse oximeter) and a sticky pad you put on your chest (which does kinda suck if you have chest hair but isn’t unpleasant or cumbersome otherwise). I trust that test less, but in case you feel you have sleep apnea, it’s less weird and just as likely to get you the equipment you need.
Lots of people describe their CPAP as life changing and I believe them. For me I wouldn’t call it life changing in the traditional sense, but I would describe it as beneficial enough that I recommend one. Even if it were 100% psychosomatic, I would say it helps enough that it’s improved my sleep. I recommend a test to you. Worst case scenario, it’s one unpleasant night to find where you stand. Best case scenario, it really is life changing (and hopefully for the better)! If you have questions, while I’m in no way even remotely an expert, I have been through it and would be happy to answer any to the best of my knowledge.
Please take care of yourself if you can. Your health is worth it.
My first sleep study was 3 hours, then they got scared and woke me up and sent me home.
Turns out I had very severe sleep apnea.
My second sleep test was a trial using CPAP, that lasted 2 hours before they swapped in a BiPap and a full face mask. Slept like a baby after that.
My wife has mild sleep apnea, her pressure is 6, my pressure is 22. It wasn’t until I got an Auto BiPap, that adjusts between 20-25 that my sleep really got better.
You can tinker with your settings too. There’s a piece of software called sleepyhead that will display all of the stats from your unit’s SD card, and you can get your settings dialed in using it.
I had to because my pressure would go up so high that it would cause my mask to leak and I had to wake up and restart the unit to get it to a normal pressure.
Talk to the specialist, my sleep study last week was done at home in my own bed. Went into hospital for an hour to get wired up, drove home and went to bed at my normal time.
Mine was just a finger sensor and a chest sensor I put on myself. Ended up having serious sleep apnea and now on a CPAP. Sleep is significantly improved. Just do it!
I’ve had undiagnosed untreated sleep apnea for almost 20 years.
I need one badly. But there’s no fkin way I can go to a Strange place full of strange people and go to sleep while wired up like the the Matrix.
Guess I’ll just die.
Just do it. Your sleep apnea is literally killing you. They only need to capture one sleep cycle to diagnose.
I had basically the same thought. I don’t sleep well now and I didn’t then.
However, it turns out they don’t need much data. The night they did my first sleep study, I woke up a number of times in the double digits in an amount of time that was so annoying to them that they gave up and sent me home early. They were still able to affect a diagnosis (and back it up with quantifiable data, lest you think them fakers). A full night of sleep is helpful to them to do things like verify your symptoms, but it seems not that much is needed.
Also, as others have said, you can do an at home study. I did one of those as well (later) and it was just a finger sensor (basically a pulse oximeter) and a sticky pad you put on your chest (which does kinda suck if you have chest hair but isn’t unpleasant or cumbersome otherwise). I trust that test less, but in case you feel you have sleep apnea, it’s less weird and just as likely to get you the equipment you need.
Lots of people describe their CPAP as life changing and I believe them. For me I wouldn’t call it life changing in the traditional sense, but I would describe it as beneficial enough that I recommend one. Even if it were 100% psychosomatic, I would say it helps enough that it’s improved my sleep. I recommend a test to you. Worst case scenario, it’s one unpleasant night to find where you stand. Best case scenario, it really is life changing (and hopefully for the better)! If you have questions, while I’m in no way even remotely an expert, I have been through it and would be happy to answer any to the best of my knowledge.
Please take care of yourself if you can. Your health is worth it.
My first sleep study was 3 hours, then they got scared and woke me up and sent me home.
Turns out I had very severe sleep apnea.
My second sleep test was a trial using CPAP, that lasted 2 hours before they swapped in a BiPap and a full face mask. Slept like a baby after that.
My wife has mild sleep apnea, her pressure is 6, my pressure is 22. It wasn’t until I got an Auto BiPap, that adjusts between 20-25 that my sleep really got better.
You can tinker with your settings too. There’s a piece of software called sleepyhead that will display all of the stats from your unit’s SD card, and you can get your settings dialed in using it.
I had to because my pressure would go up so high that it would cause my mask to leak and I had to wake up and restart the unit to get it to a normal pressure.
Talk to the specialist, my sleep study last week was done at home in my own bed. Went into hospital for an hour to get wired up, drove home and went to bed at my normal time.
Mine was just a finger sensor and a chest sensor I put on myself. Ended up having serious sleep apnea and now on a CPAP. Sleep is significantly improved. Just do it!