What Happens in a Sleep Study: Lab and Home Tests Explained

If your GP has referred you, you probably want to know what happens in a sleep study before you turn up. The short version is that you sleep, as normally as you can, while sensors record your breathing, brain activity, heart and movement. It's safe and it doesn't hurt. This guide covers why people have sleep studies, lab versus home studies, what's measured, what the night is like, getting your results, and how to prepare.

The short answer: a sleep study records your sleep overnight using small sensors stuck to your skin. In a lab study you arrive in the evening, sleep in a private room while staff monitor you, and leave in the morning. In a home study, the sensors are fitted at the clinic and you sleep in your own bed. Results can take up to two to three weeks. Most studies look for sleep apnoea, though they can help with other sleep problems too.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Why you might need a sleep study

A sleep study is a medical test that monitors your sleep to find out what might be going wrong. The Sleep Health Foundation explains that the information helps doctors detect conditions like sleep apnoea (source).

Common reasons for a referral include:

• Loud snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing that a partner has noticed. See signs of sleep apnoea.
• Heavy daytime sleepiness that doesn't add up, sometimes to check for conditions such as narcolepsy.
• Unusual movements or behaviours in sleep, such as kicking legs or acting out dreams.
• Insomnia that isn't improving. Most insomnia doesn't need a sleep study, but the Sleep Health Foundation notes specialists sometimes suggest one to understand what's causing the poor sleep and to check for sleep apnoea (source).

Lab study or home study

	Sleep clinic (lab)	Home study
Where you sleep	A private room at the sleep clinic or hospital	Your own bed
Fitting sensors	At the clinic in the evening	At the clinic, usually late afternoon or evening, then you go home
Number of sensors	More, including brain, eye and muscle signals	Usually fewer, focused on breathing and heart
Staff present	Yes, monitoring overnight	No
Video	Yes	No
Best for	Complex or unclear problems	People felt to be at high risk of sleep apnoea

In an FAQ with the Sleep Health Foundation, sleep physician Professor Robert Adams explains that home studies are increasingly being used, especially for people at high risk of sleep apnoea, and that they usually involve fewer sensors than a lab study and focus more on heart and breathing measurements (source). Your doctor will recommend the setting that suits your situation.

What's measured

Sensors are attached with small sticky patches or a little paste or cream. A full lab study can record:

• Brain activity, from leads on your scalp, to show when you're awake, asleep and in each sleep stage.
• Eye movements, from leads beside your eyes.
• Heart rhythm, from leads on your chest.
• Muscle activity, from leads on your jaw and legs.
• Airflow, from a small sensor at your nose and mouth.
• Breathing effort, measuring how your chest and tummy move.
• Pulse and oxygen levels, from a small sensor.
• Body position and snoring sounds.
• Video, in the lab only.

It sounds like a lot of wiring, but most people still manage to settle and sleep. If you need to go to the toilet, Professor Adams notes lab staff can disconnect the box and reconnect it when you're back.

What the night is like

For a lab study, you arrive in the evening, have the sensors fitted, and go to bed in a private room. Staff watch the recordings from another room. In the morning the sensors come off and you head home or to work.

The most common worry is "I won't be able to sleep with all this on". Many people sleep more than they expect, even if it's lighter than usual. The study doesn't need a perfect night; it needs enough sleep to see what's happening. See your first night in a new place for why a strange bed feels unsettling.

Getting your results

A whole night of recordings has to be analysed and reported. Professor Adams says this can take up to two to three weeks in some cases, though an urgent preliminary report can be done sooner. Your results usually go to the doctor who referred you, who will talk you through them and any next steps.

On costs, the Sleep Health Foundation FAQ explains that Medicare covers studies with a referral from a specialist or hospital, or from a GP when you meet set criteria for sleep apnoea risk. Gap payments may apply, and the clinic should tell you about costs beforehand.

How to prepare

Your clinic will send instructions. Follow those first. Generally it helps to:

1. Ask about your medicines. Check with the clinic or your doctor whether to take your usual medicines that day. Don't stop anything without advice.
2. Keep your day normal. The aim is a typical night, so avoid a big change in routine.
3. Ask about caffeine, alcohol and naps. Clinics often have specific guidance for the day of the study.
4. Pack as if for a night away: comfortable two-piece pyjamas, toiletries, anything you need for the morning, and your usual pillow if the clinic allows it.
5. Bring a short sleep record. If you've kept notes on your sleep, take them. Our guide on how to keep a sleep diary shows what's useful.
6. Plan the morning. Know how you're getting home or to work afterwards.

When to see your GP

See your GP to discuss a sleep study if you snore loudly and feel unrefreshed, if someone has seen you stop breathing in your sleep, if you're nodding off during the day or while driving, or if insomnia has lasted for months. For snoring without other symptoms, see how to stop snoring first.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a silent vibrating wristband alarm, so we're not neutral. It plays no part in a sleep study and isn't a diagnostic device. Where it can be useful is waking you for an early start in a shared or unfamiliar room without a loud alarm.

• Silent. No speaker and no sound, so it won't disturb anyone nearby.
• Wakes you with vibration on your wrist, starting as a gentle tap and building through three intensity levels.
• Under 20 grams, with a soft adjustable strap. It can also be worn on the ankle.
• Up to 14 days of nightly use per charge, so it's ready for a night away.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

Does a sleep study hurt? No. The Sleep Health Foundation says sleep studies are safe and don't hurt; sensors are attached with sticky patches or a bit of cream.

What if I can't sleep during the study? Many people sleep more than they expect. Tell the staff in the morning if the night felt very different from usual.

Can I get up to use the toilet? Yes. In a lab, staff can disconnect and reconnect the equipment for you.

How long until I get results? It can take up to two to three weeks, and they usually go to your referring doctor.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

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