Diagnostics
Sleep Studies
A clinically validated home recording — in your own bed, reviewed by a respiratory consultant.
What We Test For
Sleep-disordered breathing
Sleep-disordered breathing describes a range of conditions in which normal breathing is disrupted during sleep. The most common — and most clinically significant — is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), in which the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing the body to partially wake in order to restore breathing.
These events — sometimes hundreds per night — fragment sleep without the patient being aware of them. The result is chronic sleep deprivation despite an apparently adequate amount of time in bed: persistent fatigue, poor concentration, morning headaches, and in many cases, significant cardiovascular risk.
We also identify central sleep apnoea (CSA), upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), and chronic snoring with associated oxygen desaturation — each of which has its own clinical implications and treatment pathway.
80% of moderate to severe OSA is undiagnosed.
The vast majority of people living with obstructive sleep apnoea have never been formally assessed. Many attribute their symptoms — fatigue, poor concentration, low mood — to other causes.
Common presenting symptoms include: loud or irregular snoring, observed breathing pauses during sleep, waking with a dry mouth or headache, persistent daytime fatigue despite adequate sleep time, difficulty concentrating, and irritability or low mood.
The Recording Device
The Stowood Black Flash
We use the Stowood Black Flash — a clinically validated ambulatory recording device widely used in NHS and private sleep medicine services across the UK. It is small, lightweight, and worn comfortably overnight without the need for a hospital admission or a sleep laboratory.
The device is collected from our clinic at the time of your initial appointment and returned after two nights of recording. Setup takes a few minutes and is guided by our clinical team.
- ✓ Airflow — nasal cannula detects breathing pattern and flow limitation
- ✓ Peripheral blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) — finger probe
- ✓ Heart rate — continuous recording throughout the night
- ✓ Body position — supine vs lateral sleep position
- ✓ Snoring — acoustic sensor
- ✓ Chest and abdominal movement — effort belts
Why Two Nights?
Night-to-night variability is a well-established phenomenon in sleep medicine. Alcohol consumption, sleep position, and preceding sleep debt can all affect the severity of apnoea events on any given night.
A second recording night significantly improves diagnostic reliability — particularly for patients with mild or positional OSA, who might otherwise receive a false-normal result from a single-night study.
We consider two nights standard practice. It is included in the study cost.
Before the Study
Your Initial Appointment
Sleep History
A structured assessment of your sleep patterns, symptoms, and medical history. We use the validated Epworth Sleepiness Scale to quantify daytime sleepiness.
Nasal Assessment
Nasal photography and a brief examination to identify any anatomical features — such as septal deviation or nasal congestion — that may be contributing to upper airway obstruction.
Device Fitting
We fit and test the Stowood device and walk you through setup for your first recording night. The process takes around 10 minutes and is straightforward.
After the Study
Your Diagnostic Report
Once the recording is returned, it is reviewed by our telehealth respiratory consultant. The consultant analyses the full data set — not just an automated score — and produces a written diagnostic report.
The report includes your AHI (Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index), an oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and a clinical interpretation. Where a diagnosis of OSA is confirmed, the severity is classified as mild (AHI 5–14), moderate (AHI 15–29), or severe (AHI ≥30).
Reports are typically issued within five to seven working days of device return. The report is yours — you may share it with your GP, insurance provider, or any other clinician.
Consultant-reviewed, not algorithm-scored. Your results are reviewed by a qualified respiratory consultant — not processed by software alone. This makes the diagnosis clinically defensible and suitable as the basis for treatment or insurance claims.
A normal result is a valuable outcome. If the study does not confirm OSA, the report rules it out and opens the path to investigating other causes of your symptoms — which we can help to facilitate.
Understanding Your Score
AHI — Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index
| AHI Score | Classification | Typical recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | Normal | Review other causes of symptoms |
| 5 – 14 | Mild OSA | Lifestyle changes, positional therapy, or MAS |
| 15 – 29 | Moderate OSA | CPAP therapy or MAS with monitoring |
| 30 or above | Severe OSA | CPAP therapy — prompt treatment recommended |
AHI = average number of apnoea and hypopnoea events per hour of sleep. Classification follows AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) criteria. Treatment recommendations are determined by the consultant based on your full clinical picture, not AHI alone.
Take the Next Step
Book your sleep study
The process starts with a short initial appointment. No GP referral required for private patients.