If you have been paying attention to any extend then there is a good chance you’ve noticed the increase in sleep apnea testing as of late. A quick look at the news will reveal that truck drivers, train operators and even pilots are now being tested for sleep apnea as a requirement for them to keep their jobs, but here’s a good question: why? There is little doubt that sleep apnea has existed since the beginning of time but why are people just now starting to pay so much attention to it? The obvious answer is that there are now more cases of it and it is posing a true danger to the population, especially in America. Today we’re going to take a look at a few of the important factors that make sleeping disorder tests more important than ever before.

The Growing Obesity Epidemic in America

It is no secret that America is suffering from an obesity problem right now. Studies have shown that more than 2 in 3 adults are victims of obesity and 1 in 13 have extreme obesity. There are quite a few reasons for which this could have become a problem, and there is no quick answer, but does indicate the reasoning for the increase in sleep insomnia tests. It is well known that obesity is one of the factors that commonly lead to sleep apnea with the airway collapsing during sleep, often under the weight of the neck itself. This growing epidemic has in fact caused some serious health problems but it has also been instrumental in bringing attention to a serious problem.

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity

Awareness

As we mentioned before, the awareness of sleep apnea is becoming more widespread and as a result, we have more and more people opting for overnight testing. In some ways, the awareness has spread by word of mouth but you must also credit the internet for helping people to spread information through both medical journal entries and advertisements, both of which are readily available to the public. Unfortunately, awareness does not necessarily equal convenience in testing, but it has led to the invention of home sleep testing equipment more and more people have been willing to partake in the studies and there is little doubt that it has saved some lives.

Home Sleep Studies

The home sleep study is gaining momentum among primary care providers for many reasons, the most important, of course, being convenience. It is much easier for both the physician and the patient, not to mention it is much less expensive on both ends. The home sleep insomnia test is performed with either watch-like device or with a clip that attaches to the finger. The idea is to monitor the oxygen saturation within the patient’s blood while they are asleep to ensure that it does not drop below a certain level. In the event that it does, however, it could be a sign of sleep apnea and something that needs to be addressed right away.

Once sleep apnea is properly diagnosed it will be up to the individual to seek the correct treatment. It is important to note that once the condition is, in fact, diagnosed it will typically enable the individual to seek treatment and request that it be covered by their insurance company. For example, a CPAP machine might cost $1500 out of pocket, not including the CPAP Cleaning Device but insurance could agree to pay for it in full so long as it is used consistently over the course of one year.

Home sleeping disorder testing is crucial because it not only diagnoses the condition but helps the individual to get the treatment that they so badly need. Whether it is an APAP, a CPAP, or any other variety of machine, it is crucial that the condition is addressed and that the individual receives relief. Sleep disorder testing has come a long way, and now, finally, nearly everyone has access to it. You can thank the increased awareness of that fact!

VirtuOx is the leader in home sleep tests and pulse oximetry.