[LostLocalMan]

I'm fairly certain that you have to undergo a sleep study wherein they monitor your breathing and your blood oxygen levels. If your blood oxygen falls to levels that seem dangerous you will be prescribed. So my understanding is it's not as simple as going to the doctor and saying "I slept funny last night".

[tjohns]

Breathing and blood oxygen at a minimum, for the take-home tests. If you go into a sleep lab, they also wire you up to an EEG as well to monitor your brain activity.

They're not just looking for blood oxygen to drop. They're also looking at how many times you wake up due to airway obstructions. Even if you wake yourself up before your blood oxygen drops, waking up 50+ times/night (this would be considered "mild", btw) is not good for your brain either.

But yes, you need a sleep study to be diagnosed with sleep apnea.

[mcpackieh]

> waking up 50+ times/night (this would be considered "mild", btw)

50+ a night is mild? I thought I had it bad at 2 or 3. 50 times a night is every couple of minutes, do people who have it even worse than this actually manage to sleep at all?

[NoZebra120vClip]

Oh, goody, a test.

Let's send in as many people as profi...er possible to have that test. Probably helps to start a few print and TV campaigns to Ask Your Doctor If CPAP Is Right For You.

Then, over a few decades, let's gradually move the goalposts so that more positive tests continually maximize our shareh...healthcare values.

C'mon, think like a CEO

[jaak]

It's almost that simple. There are many online medical equipment providers that will send you an at home sleep study kit. Their goal is basically to sell you a PAP machine (plus ongoing related supplies), pretty much anyone can get one if they make a minimum of effort.