At-Home Sleep Apnea Test in California
Test for sleep apnea in your own bed. Your doctor orders it, we ship an FDA-cleared device anywhere in California, and a board-certified sleep physician reads your results, usually within 5 to 7 business days.
Your Doctor Orders the Test
A physician order is required before we can ship your home sleep test. Your doctor can send the referral to us, and our team can help you obtain the necessary referral or prior authorization.
We Send You a Link to our Online Scheduler
We contact you by text message and email. You follow the link to our online scheduler to complete the paperwork, watch a short video, and choose a shipping date. We verify your insurance coverage.
We Ship the Device to You
We ship the FDA-approved device to your home via US Post Office Priority Mail.
You Take the Test in the Comfort of Your Home
Download the app to your smartphone, tape the device to your finger, and go to sleep — it's easy and painless! Take the test for 2 consecutive nights, and keep the device in case a retest is needed.
Your Doctor Reviews the Results with You
Our board-certified doctor interprets the results and we send the completed report to your doctor, who reviews the results and next steps with you.
- Board-certified sleep physicians
- Serving California since 1994
- 100+ insurance plans, including Medicare
- Shipped anywhere in California
Before You Order
Home sleep test eligibility, cost, and timing
A clinician must order a home sleep apnea test. SleepDr verifies coverage, ships the appropriate device, and sends the interpreted report to your referring clinician.
Who is eligible?
Home testing may suit adults whose clinician suspects uncomplicated obstructive sleep apnea. Your clinician decides whether home or in-lab testing is appropriate.
What will it cost?
Your cost depends on coverage, deductible, and authorization requirements. We verify benefits before shipping and can discuss plan-specific estimates or self-pay options.
One night or two?
Testing lasts one or two nights depending on the device and order. NightOwl testing currently uses two consecutive nights.
When are results ready?
After usable data is returned, a board-certified sleep physician interprets the study. Reports are typically sent within 5–7 business days.
What if the result is negative?
A negative or inconclusive home test does not always rule out sleep apnea. Your clinician may recommend an in-lab sleep study when symptoms remain concerning.
Home or lab?
Home sleep apnea test vs. in-lab sleep study
Most adults with suspected obstructive sleep apnea can start at home. Your doctor decides which test fits you.
| Home sleep apnea test | In-lab sleep study | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you sleep | Your own bed | A sleep center |
| Nights | One or two | One |
| What it records | Breathing, oxygen, pulse, effort and position | All of that plus brain waves and sleep stages |
| Best for | Suspected obstructive sleep apnea in otherwise uncomplicated adults | Complex medical history, other sleep disorders or an inconclusive home test |
Based on American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidance.
Our devices
The home sleep test devices we use
NightOwl
A small sensor taped to your fingertip that pairs with an app on your phone. Worn for two nights in a row.
Setup instructions
Dream
A compact recorder on your wrist with a sensor on your index finger. Pairs with your phone, no chest strap.
Setup instructionsApneaLink Air
A chest belt with a soft nasal cannula and finger sensor. Records airflow, snoring, effort, position and oxygen.
Setup instructionsQuick answer: A home sleep apnea test is a small, FDA-cleared device you wear in your own bed for one or two nights to check for obstructive sleep apnea. Your doctor orders it. We verify your insurance and ship it anywhere in California, and a board-certified sleep physician reads the results. Most plans cover it, including Medicare.
What a home sleep test measures
A home sleep apnea test records the signals sleep physicians need to find obstructive sleep apnea: your breathing, your blood oxygen level, your pulse and your body position. We use a few different devices, and your order determines which one you get. The two most common are:
- ResMed ApneaLink Air. About the size of a phone, it sits in a belt around your chest with a soft nasal cannula and a finger sensor. It measures nasal airflow, snoring, breathing effort, body position and oxygen level. See ApneaLink Air instructions.
- NightOwl. A tiny sensor you tape to your fingertip and pair with an app on your phone. It uses peripheral arterial tonometry to track oxygen level, pulse and position, and you wear it for two nights in a row. See NightOwl instructions.
Neither device needs needles or a technician in the room, and nothing is wired to your head. Most people sleep the way they normally do.
Is a home test right for you?
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says a home sleep apnea test is an alternative to an in-lab study for adults without complicating conditions who show signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, such as loud snoring, gasping, witnessed pauses in breathing or daytime sleepiness. It isn't meant to screen people who have no symptoms.
If you have significant heart or lung disease, an in-lab study is usually the better first test. The same goes for cases where your doctor suspects central sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, or where a previous home test was negative or inconclusive. Your doctor makes that call. We can help them decide.
What it costs and how insurance works
Your cost depends on your plan and deductible, and on whether prior authorization is required. We are contracted with more than 100 insurance plans, including nearly all major PPOs, nearly all California HMOs, many Medi-Cal HMOs, Medicare and TriWest. Our team handles prior authorization. Before we ship anything, we check your benefits.
Medicare Part B covers home sleep tests when you have clinical signs and symptoms of sleep apnea and a provider orders the test. After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.
No insurance, or a high deductible? Ask about our self-pay option. For a wider look at pricing, read how much a sleep study costs.
Tips for a successful test night
- Follow the instructions for your device and watch the short setup video before bedtime.
- Go to bed at your usual time and sleep in your usual position.
- Keep your phone charged and near the bed if you're using NightOwl.
- Ask us before the test whether you should take your usual sleep aid or have a drink, since both can affect results. Our guides on sleeping pills before a sleep study and wine or beer before a sleep study explain why.
- If a sensor comes off during the night, put it back on and keep sleeping.
After your results
A board-certified sleep physician reviews the raw data from your study rather than relying on automatic scoring, as the AASM requires. Your report goes to your doctor, who talks through the results with you. If you have sleep apnea, your report helps your doctor choose a treatment such as CPAP or an oral appliance. The AASM guideline recommends an in-lab study if the test is negative or inconclusive but your symptoms continue.
Want to know more about the condition first? Read our guide to sleep apnea symptoms, testing and treatment.
Request your home sleep test or call (877) 775-3377, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Pacific.
Common questions
Home sleep test FAQs
For adults with signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine accepts a home test with a technically adequate device as an alternative to an in-lab study. Because it doesn't measure actual sleep time, it can underestimate milder apnea. If your result is negative or inconclusive and you still have symptoms, an in-lab study is the next step.
Yes. A clinician must order it after reviewing your history, in person or by telemedicine. Your doctor can fax the order to (877) 855-6227 or email orders@sleepdr.com. If you don't have an order yet, call (877) 775-3377 and we will help you get started.
It depends on your plan, deductible and whether prior authorization is needed. Medicare Part B covers home sleep tests for people with signs of sleep apnea, and you pay 20% of the approved amount after the deductible. We check your benefits before shipping and can quote a self-pay price if you need one.
After we receive usable data, a board-certified sleep physician interprets your study. The report typically goes to your doctor within 5 to 7 business days, and your doctor reviews the results and next steps with you.
Home tests are designed to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. If your doctor suspects central sleep apnea, another sleep disorder, or you have significant heart or lung disease, an in-lab study is usually the better choice.
All of California. We ship devices by USPS Priority Mail, so you don't need to visit a clinic. See our California service areas.