Polygraphy – Precise Sleep Diagnostics Without a Sleep Lab
Sleep problems are often dismissed as a side effect of our fast-paced lives. Yet unrefreshing sleep, loud snoring, or pauses in breathing at night can have serious health consequences. An early diagnosis is essential to identify the causes, treat them effectively, and give your body the recovery it urgently needs.
With polygraphy, we can detect sleep disorders quickly, reliably, and easily. The diagnostic test uses a small, portable device that you attach yourself at home after a short introduction, then sleep as usual. After just one night, you return the device to our doctors, who analyze the recorded data to determine whether sleep apnea or another sleep disorder is present.
What Is Polygraphy?
Polygraphy is an outpatient diagnostic procedure used to assess sleep-related breathing disorders. A portable measuring device is used, which you wear at home rather than in a sleep laboratory. Overnight, it records several parameters such as airflow, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation, providing insights into possible conditions.
This at-home sleep test serves as a simple initial screening. If abnormalities are detected, a follow-up test in a sleep lab called polysomnography is carried out, which provides a more comprehensive analysis of sleep health.
60–90 Minuten
Fit für den Alltag
Nach 10 Tagen
Pflaster- und Fadenentfernung nach 7 Tagen
Ambulant
Common Questions About Polygraphy
What is outpatient polygraphy?
Outpatient polygraphy is a diagnostic method that patients complete at home. They sleep in their familiar environment while wearing a portable device overnight, which measures key bodily functions and reveals possible breathing disorders.
How does polygraphy work?
After receiving instructions from your doctor, you apply the measuring device yourself in the evening. You then sleep as usual while the device records data such as breathing, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. The next day, you return the device to your doctor, who evaluates the results.
Which values are measured during polygraphy?
Polygraphy records breathing movements, airflow, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing pauses, and snoring. It provides information on whether there are signs of sleep apnea or other breathing-related sleep disorders.
Which doctors carry out polygraphy?
A polygraphy is carried out by specialists in sleep medicine, pulmonology, or ear, nose, and throat (ENT) medicine. These physicians provide you with the device, explain how to use it, and evaluate the results. General practitioners do not perform or analyze the test themselves but can refer you to the appropriate specialist if sleep apnea is suspected.
When is polygraphy useful?
Polygraphy is recommended when there are clear signs of a sleep-related breathing disorder. These include loud, regular snoring, pauses in breathing at night, morning headaches, or pronounced daytime fatigue. People with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes are particularly at risk if sleep apnea goes untreated, making early testing especially important.
The Process of Polygraphy
We begin with a consultation to discuss your symptoms and their severity. Then we introduce the portable device, explain how it works, and show you how to apply it at home. The test itself takes place overnight: while you sleep, the device records your breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, pauses in breathing, and snoring. This creates a clear picture of your sleep quality without requiring a hospital stay, making the procedure simple and comfortable for most patients.
The next day, you return the device to our doctors, who read and evaluate the data. If polygraphy suggests sleep apnea or another disorder, we follow up with a sleep lab study for a more detailed assessment.
What Happens After Polygraphy?
If no abnormalities are found, we focus on improving your sleep with simple lifestyle changes. We recommend keeping regular bedtimes, maintaining a cool, dark, quiet sleep environment, and avoiding heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol shortly before bed. Reducing screen time in the evening is also helpful, as blue light suppresses melatonin production.
If sleep apnea is suspected, we conduct a more detailed sleep study in a specialized sleep lab. Polysomnography provides more detailed data, confirming or refining the results of polygraphy and allowing for a precise diagnosis.
Depending on the findings, treatment may involve CPAP masks, dental devices, or surgery, all of which aim to improve sleep quality and give you more energy and well-being during the day.
Your Path to Restful Sleep
Polygraphy is your first step toward healthy sleep. Let’s take it together. Our experienced specialists will guide you through the process, provide thorough advice, and support you throughout your treatment. Our goal is to give you clarity and confidence, and if treatment is needed, to find the best option for you. Book your appointment today and look forward to waking up refreshed again.
Team of Experts
PD Dr. med. Marie-An Carstensen De Letter
Specialist in Neurology FMH / Neurophysiology / Sleep Medicine
Besire Morina
COO Sleep lab
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