Start with what you have noticed
Tell your physician or medical sleep specialist about your sleep schedule, daytime sleepiness, medicines, and any snoring, breathing pauses, or gasping that you or someone else has noticed. A sleep diary can help describe patterns. You do not need a partner’s observations to ask for an evaluation. [1]
If you already have a sleep study, bring the full report and information about treatments you have tried. Ask whether that report answers the questions your care team needs to address now.
If you have not been evaluated, RespAir can help connect you with a local or online sleep physician for a medical evaluation. You do not need to arrange a study on your own before contacting us.
Home testing and a laboratory study
| Home sleep apnea testing | Laboratory sleep study |
|---|---|
| Usually records breathing, oxygen levels, and heart rate while you sleep at home. | Also measures brain activity, sleep stages, movements, and other signals, with a technician monitoring the study. |
| Equipment and the signals recorded vary by device. | Provides a fuller assessment when a home test does not fit the clinical question. |
Ask what your specific test measures, how to apply the sensors, and whom to contact if the equipment does not work. A home test is a medical test with instructions and interpretation—not the same as checking a consumer sleep score. [2]
How your sleep physician chooses a test
Home testing is an option for selected adults whose evaluation suggests an increased risk of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and who do not have complicating conditions. It is not a general test for every sleep concern or a screening test for everyone. [3]
A laboratory study may be the appropriate starting point with significant heart or lung disease, certain neuromuscular conditions, suspected hypoventilation, chronic opioid use, a history of stroke, or severe insomnia. Your sleep physician considers your circumstances rather than choosing a test on convenience alone. [4]
What if a home test is negative or unclear?
Do not assume a negative home test resolves every concern. AASM guidance recommends a laboratory sleep study after a single home test that is negative, inconclusive, or technically inadequate. Follow up with the ordering provider to understand the result and the next step. [4]
Leave with an explanation, not just a number
A sleep physician interprets the findings in context and makes the diagnosis. Ask what was found, how confident the result is, and which treatment options or further evaluation are appropriate. Automatically generated results alone are not a complete medical assessment. [3]
- Who will explain my results, and how do I arrange that conversation?
- How can I get a copy of my full report?
- What are the next steps if the result does not explain my symptoms?
- If I am considering an oral appliance, which records should be shared with RespAir?
Common questions
Do I need a sleep study before contacting RespAir?
No. You can contact us with questions first. If you have not been evaluated, we can help connect you with a local or online sleep physician who can decide whether testing is appropriate. Before oral appliance treatment for obstructive sleep apnea begins, you need a physician’s diagnosis and prescription. Contacting us does not commit you to treatment.
Can I use a study I already have?
Bring the full report. Your sleep physician decides whether further medical evaluation or testing is needed. Dr. DeSaix reviews the diagnosis and prescription as part of your dental evaluation, and our team checks your plan’s documentation requirements. We cannot promise a single expiration date or coverage decision for every patient and plan.
Sources
Sources support the explanations above. Publication dates are shown where useful; the source-check date is not a clinical review date.
- NHLBI: Diagnosing sleep apnea
- American Thoracic Society: Sleep studies at home and in the laboratory
- AASM: Clinical use of a home sleep apnea test (2018 position statement)
- AASM: Diagnostic testing for adult OSA (2017 guideline)
- Consumer sleep technologies that assess OSA risk (2025)
- North Carolina Dental Board: Roles in sleep-related breathing care (March 2026)
About care at RespAir: Dr. DeSaix is a dentist. A sleep physician diagnoses sleep apnea and assesses treatment effectiveness. Dr. DeSaix evaluates dental suitability and manages oral appliance care. Treating OSA with an appliance requires a physician’s diagnosis and prescription.
This guide provides general education for adults. Your medical and dental care teams can explain what applies to your situation.