According to Pew Research, over 84% of households in the United States have a computer in the home. Over 73% of households have their computer connected to a broadband internet connection as reported by the bureau. This is no surprise since it seems almost everyday people in the United States have a glowing screen in front of them. Whether it’s working or watching their latest show on Netflix, the risk being active around the clock is real.

The reason experts recommend turning electronics off before bedtime is due to LED screens giving off blue light. This blue light will slow down and even halt the production of melatonin, a hormone that tells the brain it’s time to head to bed. Even if people do avoid having a glowing screen in front of them before bedtime, being active 24/7 or an irregular sleep pattern could be causing their sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is an asleep disorder that will occur when a person is sleeping, it interrupts their breathing. People suffering from this sleep disorder will often go untreated since no blood test in the world can determine if a person suffers from the condition. When people with this disorder go to sleep, they will stop breathing in the middle of the night, which can occur hundreds of times. The brain and the body are unable to get enough oxygen and breathing will often resume with a loud snore or snort.

This pulls a person out of deep sleep and into a lighter stage of sleep. This causes people with the disorder to have excessive daytime sleepiness, being forgetful throughout the day, and even suffer from mood swings. Other symptoms can include having a lack of energy throughout the day, waking up with a dry throat, and even snowing.

How Can People Find Out if They Suffer From the Disorder?

Home sleep study equipment is an option many people have turned to for an answer on whether they suffer from the disorder. One of the few options people have for finding out if they’re a sufferer of sleep apnea is if to do a sleep study test at a lab where they will be monitored. Getting comfortable in an unfamiliar environment can be impossible and it can be difficult to replicate the sleeping conditions.

Using home sleep study equipment provides an ideal alternative since people are able to get comfortable in a familiar environment and replicate their normal sleep patterns. The results will also be more reliable since people are in the comfort of their own home instead of in an unfamiliar environment.

What Kind of Equipment is Available?

There are a variety of sleep study machines available for people to choose from to help them determine if they suffer from the disorder. Listed below are the ones people can choose from for their own at home sleep study test.

The WatchPat is a simple to use a machine with Pulse Oximetry and has the accuracy of the PSG. WatchPat has also been approved by the FDA as a portable diagnostic device that uses finger based physiology to enable a simple and accurate testing for sleep apnea. This sleep study machine is a simple and manageable alternative to finding out if someone suffers from sleep apnea.

Another sleep study machine is the ApneaLink Air that has excellent performance and reliability. This compact machine is easy to use, lightweight and is the best easy to use home sleep testing device to ever be manufactured. The machine is cost efficient and is capable of recording up to five channels of information that include the following:

• Respiratory effort
• Oxygen saturation
• Nasal flowing
• Snoring
• Pulse

The machine even features a newly added Start/Stop button to provide easy one-touch operation and has a Test Complete light to let patients know when the evaluation is finished.
If you suspect you or someone you love may suffer from sleep apnea, consider using one of these at home testing machines to find out for sure.