Sleep technology has come a long way, and methods to test for sleep apnea can now be done at home instead of in an unfamiliar lab. When testing at home, a patient is given a monitoring device that collects data while he sleeps, and this information can later be downloaded and analyzed by a sleep professional.

The sleep study will reveal how many times the patient experiences hypopnea, which is shallow breathing, and apnea, the stoppage of breath. These two events are examined to create what is known as an apnea/ hypopnea index, or AHI. If you were told that you had an AHI score of twenty, it would mean that you were having periods of shallow breathing or stoppages of breath an average of twenty times per hour as you sleep. An AHI score of less than fifteen is considered to be mild obstructive sleep apnea, and a score of 15 to 20 is classified as “moderate,” while an AHI over 30 is ranked as “severe.”

Self Sleep Test

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A simple self test, commonly used as an indicator of poor sleep, is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This scoring system is used to determine a person’s level of daytime sleepiness. A score of 10 or more is considered sleepy. A score of 18 or more is very sleepy. If you score 10 or more on this test, you should consider whether you are obtaining adequate sleep, need to improve your sleep hygiene and/or need to see a sleep specialist. These issues should be discussed with your personal physician.

Taking this test and the results provided in no way substitutes for a medical assessment or diagnostic procedure, but serves as a useful guide to help focus future consultations.

Begin the evaluation by answering the first question below:

Are you the snorer or is it your bed partner who snores?