Understanding In-Home Sleep Studies for Adults
The Most Accurate, Effective Alternative to an In-Lab Sleep Study
Why Are Sleep Studies Important?
After working with children with different diagnoses, delays, and differences for more than a decade, Doctor Marielly noticed that many of the children she treated had one thing in common: poor sleep. She decided to take a deeper look into her client's sleep and began to realize just how much it impacts function. Think about it: when you're tired, you have a hard time focusing, let alone retaining information or expending the energy necessary to learn a new skill. And how many of us have spent the day grumpy because we had a terrible night's sleep?
As she began treating adults with orofacial myofunctional disorders and sensory sensitivities, she realized they were often plagued by similarly poor sleep. If left untreated, sleep disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea can negatively impact your psychological, behavioral, heart and metabolic health, with symptoms becoming worse over time.
Charting a Course For Dreamland
Doctor Marielly noticed that even when a referral for a sleep study was made, clients found it difficult to follow through on the recommendation due to obstacles like…
Limited access to sleep laboratories
High cost of testing with increased out-of-pocket expenses
Reported inconvenience
Difficulty obtaining accurate results due to discomfort and disruption to nighttime routines
Not long ago, Doctor Marielly attended a sleep, airway and dental conference where she was introduced to the revolutionary work being done by Sleep Image. Their technologically advanced rings offered a minimally invasive but incredibly effective way to monitor patients' sleep. Doctor Marielly saw the potential of this technology to revolutionize the way Sleep Disordered Breathing and Sleep Apnea are diagnosed and addressed.
Airway Academy is the airway-centric therapy clinic to integrate sleep monitoring into treatment in conjunction with OT, speech and language therapy, nutritional coaching, sleep training, and orofacial myofunctional therapy. Since her clients have begun using the Sleep Image ring, they've identified numerous cases of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Sleep Apnea, heart arrhythmia, and even seizure activity. In addition, when compared to data obtained prior to beginning OMT and/or ALF expansion treatment, clients have displayed far fewer markers indicative of SDB and Sleep Apnea. She's excited to continue using this incredible technology to improve the lives of her clients and emphasize the importance of airway health.
A Clear Picture of Sleep Image
Sleep Image is a cutting edge sleep technology company focused on monitoring patient sleep in the home environment in order to obtain the most accurate readings possible. Sleep Image’s primary mission is to enable access to accurate sleep information to facilitate the ability to live a happier and healthier life.
Sleep Image's journey started over 10 years ago and has resulted in over 90 peer-reviewed publications. They have also received FDA-clearance certifying that Sleep Image data is comparable to the results of an in-lab sleep study used for sleep apnea diagnosis in both children and adults. We're thrilled to be carrying this technology in our office!
Both Doctor Marielly and Sleep Image aim to create a better healthcare system and world by focusing on the importance of breathing and sleeping. We are so excited to help you and your little ones get the sleep you deserve with a little help from our technologically savvy friends.
How the Sleep Image Ring Works
Unlike invasive in-lab sleep studies, getting accurate information with Sleep Image is quick, easy, and minimally invasive. All you have to do is download the Sleep Image app, wear your ring, start recording, and fall asleep! No wires, no uncomfortable video monitoring, and no change in your nightly routine! Just quick, easy, and accurate results. Once you wake up and stop recording data, your results will be automatically available for review!
Sleep Image is a revolutionary approach to screen, diagnose and manage sleep health in order to:
Measure sleep quality
Measure sleep duration
Evaluate sleep disorders
Diagnose Sleep Apnea (both Obstructive and Central)
Manage sleep disorder treatment
Treatment efficacy
Compliance
Measuring sleep in patients’ normal sleep environment over multiple nights and on multiple occasions to capture the dynamics of sleep physiology and pathology is game changing. Consider the difference between a still image and a movie: while a still image can provide a lot of information, video gives you a much better idea of the context, captures motion and change over time, etc. Capturing night-to-night variability respects the chronic nature of sleep disorders that should improve the diagnostic process, management of conditions, and patient outcomes
Seeing Results
If you're wondering how on earth you're supposed to understand this complex data, don't fret! Once you've finished your last night of data collection, you'll be prompted to schedule an online consultation with a certified sleep specialist, or somnologist, to review your results and discuss any necessary treatment options. You'll be able to rest easy knowing your results have been carefully analyzed by an expert for the most comprehensive care possible.
This streamlined, virtual process allows you to get an in-depth understanding of your sleep without the hassle of repeat appointments or travel time. Online consultations also ensure access to services regardless of location, opening up a world of possibilities for sleep solutions.