Home Sleep Study

Sellwood-Moreland and Portland OR

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep breathing disorder that can cause a variety of negative consequences to your overall health that goes beyond just feeling fatigued. In fact, nearly 80 percent of individuals with sleep apnea are unaware that they suffer from the disorder. This is a concern because, if sleep apnea goes untreated, it increases the risk of chronic ailments such as cognitive decline, depression, diabetes, cardiac disease, and stroke.

In order to diagnose a sleep breathing disorder, Whole Health Dentistry can provide a home sleep study, allowing you to undergo a sleep study that monitors your sleep, breathing, and oxygen levels, all while resting in the comfort of your own home – no overnight stays at a sleep clinic.

After a few nights of monitoring your sleep, you bring the device back to our office to get your results. From there, the dentist will determine whether you have a sleep breathing disorder, to what degree, and develop an individualized treatment plan for you.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that is caused by an obstruction of the airway while you sleep. The soft tissue of the throat either collapses or is enlarged due to one’s natural anatomy. These obstructions can be partial or complete, restricting the flow of oxygen, causing an apneic episode. These episodes cause the brain to awaken out of the deepest stage of sleep – the REM cycle. It also results in loud snoring or gasping for air. The sufferer may be completely unaware of these occurrences as they happen.

For a patient with an advanced case of sleep apnea, these obstructions can occur as many as 30 to 60 times an hour.

The advantages of a home sleep study

Traditionally, undergoing a sleep study involved going to a sleep center, attempting to get rest in unfamiliar surroundings with wires and machines all around you.

An at-home sleep test only uses a few sensors, which monitor breathing patterns while you rest. At-home studies generally produce clearer results, because the patient is more comfortable because he or she is able to sleep in their own bed.

Do I need to undergo a sleep study?

Loud snoring is considered the primary symptom of a sleep breathing disorder. If you snore loudly, you should consider undergoing a sleep study as soon as possible. However, sleep apnea may occur in patients who do not snore. If you have an erratic sleeping pattern or consistently feel fatigued during the day, then a sleep breathing disorder such as sleep apnea could be the cause. Even athletes, and children can be plagued with a sleep breathing disorder.

Having a sleep study performed is covered under most insurance plans. If your plan does not cover such procedures, the office of Whole Health Dentistry offers a variety of financing and payment options that fit nearly any household budget.

If you have sleep apnea, the problem will not just go away on its own. Your health will be at risk if you do not receive proper diagnosis and treatment. Whole Health Dentistry can help. Just call our office at (503) 462-1538 to schedule a consultation.

Whole Health Dentistry is proud to provide total oral health care for patients in the Oregon communities of Sellwood-Moreland and Portland.