Home Sleep Apnea Testing

Sleep Apnea Diagnisis by Sound Recording

You can use a method for sleep apnea testing at home. With this simple method you can discover if you have obstructive sleep apnea, where snoring, apnea episodes, gasping and snorting are the main symptoms during your sleep.

Now, here is what you can do for obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis in your own house:

1. Get an MP3 player/recorder

You will need an audio device which can record your sleep sounds for many hours. You will need data for at least 2 hours of sleep.

This audio recorder should have a USB connection (or other types) for your computer, to upload the mp3 file.

RCA VR5220 512 MB Digital Voice Recorder (Black) is a a great recorder for the 29 dollars spent. It's simple to use and is also compatible with Mac.

If you want the best recorder, then Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder can be what are you looking for, but I don't think you need the best gadget in world to record your sleep apnea events. You should better spend the money on a good CPAP mask, if you will have a treatment with CPAP machine.




2. Upload the file into your computer.

The next morning, connect your mp3 recorder to your computer and upload the file. You can listen to the sound of your sleep, to find if you have a loud and irregular snoring, or your stop breathing in sleep.

But you are very busy and you don't have time to listen all that noise. So, I recommend to use an audio software where you can see and analyze your mp3 file.

Fortunately, there is a free software to use, free MP3 manipulating program called Audacity. Just download the program and install it to your computer.

Once into Audacity, hit:

• edit,
• then select all,
• then effects,
• then amplify
• then UNcheck the don’t allow clipping box (audio fidelity is not at all important here)
• and finally enter 15 in the amplification (db) window.

• Then hit ok.




3. Analyze your sleep

You can easily see each breath (or snore) displayed in the graphical Audacity form, by clicking on the magnify (+) key a couple of times.

If you have a normal sleep pattern, your graphic detail should look the same throughout the entire recording. However, if you stop breathing in sleep, then...you will see unusually long gaps between breaths.

If you find a long gasp in your graph, select the beginning of it and hit play. You will hear nothing, then a snort or a gasp for air, and snoring.

This is obstructive sleep apnea event.

You can also use a portable pulse oximeter to monitor your oxygen levels during sleep. A patient with sleep apnea often has low oxygen levels, and a pulse oximeter will show you if you have your oxygen levels lower than normal.

The oxygen saturation monitor should be a recording oximeter, to insert the data in your computer after you wake up. Just like the mp3 recorder.

If you have sleep apnea, you may often see that when a long pause in your breathing occurs (see your graph from Audacity), your oxygen levels will drop from 99% - 100% to 93% - 80%, or even lower.

To push the limits of your sleep apnea testing, and learn more about your sleep, you can use Zeo sleep monitor

This fantastic device will show you the quality and quantity of your sleep. You will find out exactly what’s stealing your sleep, and how can you improve it.

Zeo is composed of a lightweight wireless headband, a bedside display, a set of online analytical tools, and an email-based personalized coaching program. Click here to learn more about sleep apnea monitors

Back from Sleep Apnea Testing to Sleep Study

Return from Sleep Apnea Testing to Sleep Apnea Guide home page