Your doctor said that he believes you have sleep apnea. However, to be sure of the diagnosis and severity of your condition, you would need to undergo and overnight oximetry test. It is a screening test that is used to evaluate your blood oxygen levels. It can be done at home without supervision from a nurse or technician. Having a pulse oximetry test done at home will help in the diagnosis of many different types of sleep disorders.

The information it provides can be useful in assessing whether you have a sleep disorder. Lack of oxygen in your blood or Hypoxia can be problematic and lead to many other health problems. It can present itself with symptoms like,

• Rapid breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Wheezing
• Changes in the color of your skin, ranging from blue to cherry red
• Confusion
• Cough
• Fast heart rate

For those that have suffered with sleep apnea for an extended period of time, they probably had no idea that things were going wrong during the night. It can all come to light in the day, when things are not as clear as they should be. Your daytime hours become a fog of never ending lethargy and sleepiness. Even though they would spend their days drinking excessive amounts of coffee, they soon found out that the caffeine was not working. If that is your scenario, then it is time that you visited the doctor for advice. Asking your doctor questions like how does a sleep study work would be a great beginning to correcting your disorder and getting your life back on track.Many have no idea of the impact a lack of oxygen can have on your body and your life. It is hard to understand that even though what may seem like breathing well, may not be a sufficient intake of oxygen to supply the cells.

There are benefits to having an oximetry test done and it will give the doctor the ability to diagnose sleep apnea and quickly get treatment underway. In addition, you have the convenience of testing at home in your own bed. How can it be easier to take the first steps toward better health? Once the testing is done, the doctor will receive the results and be able to then give you a correct diagnosis and solution to fit your needs.