Review of a sleep study for snoring symptoms

I didn't know I had a snoring until a few years ago when my friends told me.

I thought it was just snoring when I was tired from traveling, so I didn't take it seriously, but recently, a family member who shared a room with me on a trip told me that I snored so loudly all night that I should get checked out.

I don't snore every day, but when I do, it's incredibly loud;; and it tends to get worse when I'm tired.

So, I had a sleep study because of my snoring symptoms, and I'm going to write a review of the test.

 

At first, I wondered if snoring was medically treatable, and the idea of ​​going to the hospital for snoring felt strange. So, I questioned whether I even needed to get tested.

 

Then, I found out through a search that snoring symptoms can be treated.

Treatment methods for snoring include, if it is sleep apnea, positive airway pressure therapy (wearing a machine while sleeping), surgery, oral splints, and medication.

I wondered if I had sleep apnea, so I made an appointment for a consultation with an ENT specialist at a hospital.

 

At the hospital, I underwent an endoscopy, hearing, and olfactory tests, and received consultations about my sleeping habits and overall sleep quality. They explained that snoring treatment methods vary significantly depending on whether it's simply a nasal issue or sleep apnea.

 

This is the information I received before the examination.

 

I'm also filling out a survey.

 

The sleep study method involves staying in a hospital for one night and two days.

It involves attaching sensors to various parts of the body to analyze various sleep symptoms, including snoring, and observing the condition after sleep.

At first, I was worried about what to do if I couldn't sleep, so I asked the hospital, and they said that if I really couldn't sleep, they would give me sleeping pills.

And my family said I don't snore every day, so I was worried that I might not snore on the day of the test.

 

When you go for a checkup, you will be taken to a hospital room, which is a single room.

There were machines and sensors to attach to the sleep study.

 

The hospital room was comfortable, and there were a hospital gown, towels, water, and basic toiletries on the bed.

 

The sensors are attached to the waist/chest/head, and the nurse did all the attaching and explained everything.

 

I put all of this on and fell asleep. Normally, once I fall asleep, I don't wake up, but I woke up 2 or 3 times.

I was discharged from the hospital around 7:00 the next morning after the examination.

 

And the test results I received a few days later!!

 

Sleep apnea scores of 0 to 5 are normal.

5~15 is mild

15~30 is moderate

30 or more is severe

 

Oxygen saturation is normal at 95-100

95~90 hypoxia

Dyspnea below 89

 

And in the middle of deep sleep 0% ..

I was so nervous on the day of the exam, and I couldn't sleep well because I could hear other examinees snoring in the next room just like me.

 

As a result, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea.

I was skeptical, but it turns out my snoring wasn't just a simple nose problem, it was actually sleep apnea.

If your readings indicate that you need to use a CPAP machine, it's classified as sleep apnea and covered by insurance. There's a reason snoring is approached from a medical perspective, not just a sleep habit.

 

Although it was mild, fortunately the apnea index was not very high.

The doctor said that at this level, other treatments like CPAP or surgery weren't necessary. Instead, he recommended splint therapy for low oxygen saturation and emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He also said that if the levels worsen, treatment may be necessary.

There are various causes of sleep apnea, including obesity, snoring, rhinitis, and a small jaw that narrows the airway, which can also cause snoring.

At the hospital, I was told that I actually have a narrow airway and a structure that makes me prone to snoring. I also have severe rhinitis and a small lower airway. Also, one of the characteristics of people with sleep apnea is that they tend to sleep a lot, and I'm actually quite a heavy sleeper.

 

If you, your loved ones, or your family are suffering from snoring like me, it might not be a bad idea to get a sleep study to treat snoring.

Just knowing that the consequences weren't severe helped me feel a lot less anxious.

Above all, my family now has less to worry about.

I still have homework to do about sleep apnea, but I felt relieved after getting tested myself to objectively understand my condition!