There are 3 types of sleep studies that can be done in your own home environment or in a dedicated sleep lab depending on which treatment option you are comfortable with.

Sleep studies and sleep services collect data about what is occurring in a person's body during their sleep. Different sleep studies are available depending on the severity of an individuals symptoms and is dependent on any known sleep disorders that a person may have.

Level 1: In Lab Diagnostic Sleep Study

An In Lab Diagnostic Sleep Study involves a patient getting a referral to a medical practioner and is usually performed in a dedicated sleep lab. There are a variety of In Lab sleep studies that can examine potentially harmful sleeping disorders including sleep apnea, narcolepsy or severe sleep disordered breathing.

• Multiple Sleep Latency Test: this test measures how quickly a patient falls asleep and how fast they are able to enter REM sleep during a daytime nap, this is used to diagnose excessive sleepiness in the daytime.
• CPAP Titration: this test involves a technologist determining the amount of air pressure that a patient will need for their CPAP so it can be programmed accurately for home use.

Level 2: Polysomnography "PSG" (Home Based Sleep Study)

Polysomnography is a sleep study that has to be authorised by a referral from a local GP. If a patient is able to meet certain requirements and criteria, Medicare may cover some the costs for this study.

The process involved with polysomnography includes a sleep technician monitoring a patient who stays overnight at a specialised clinic or at home. This examination measures a variety of factors throughout the night including eye movements, brain and muscle activity, respiratory effort and airflow, blood oxygen levels, body positioning and leg movements, snoring, overall sleep quality, and heart rate.

Level 3: OSA Screen Test (Home Based Sleep Study)

An at home sleep study is a simple test that collects data including a patient's breathing and other variables overnight. These tests are not overseen by a sleep specialist and therefore provide less information for analysis and diagnosis. The results of an at home sleep test may not be the most detailed, but they are instant and at a low cost.

At your appointment, our team will walk you through the process and position the nodes across your head and chest in preparation of recording your sleep that evening.
You go to sleep return the equipment the next day, and we will send your data to one of the Sleep Specialists that we work with.
It takes approx. 2-3 weeks before we get your results back from the specialist, at that time we will contact you to discuss your results and start CPAP Therapy if recommended.

Before a sleep study, patients should talk to their doctor regarding any medication they are taking as certain medications can interfere with the sleep study results. It is also a good idea to take a tour of the sleep study clinic to become familiar with your surroundings before you head in for your examination.

On the day of the sleep study, we want to see data that most closely represents a normal night for you. We encourage people to keep as close to their usual routine as possible, including if they usually have an alcoholic beverage or snack of an evening.

A sleep study gives doctors information to help diagnose common sleep disorders like sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and insomnia. Sleep studies also help diagnose nighttime behaviours like sleepwalking and REM sleep behaviour disorder.

It is not compulsory to have completed sleep study when using a CPAP machine. However, it is recommended that patients who are concerned with their sleeping disorders undertake a sleep study to understand your sleep patterns and concerns.

The cost of a sleep study in Australia can range from $400 to $1000. However, this cost could increase as sleep studies can vary significantly in cost depending on the type and location of the study. Medicare can cover quite a large percentage of the total sleep study cost.