WatchPAT One Review: Home Sleep Test

Undiagnosed sleep apnea can negatively affect your overall health and quality of life. If you don’t have the time to schedule an appointment for an in-lab sleep test or find it too uncomfortable to sleep in a strange place with tons of sensors attached to your body, you should consider getting an at-home sleep study.

Continue reading to learn more about the WatchPAT One, one of the best home sleep tests on the market, delivering fast and accurate results in just one night.

Sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition, frequently remains undiagnosed, primarily because of the inconvenience associated with traditional diagnostic methods. Identifying whether you have sleep apnea involves undergoing a polysomnography (PSG) at a specialized sleep clinic, sleep lab or healthcare center.

PSGs involve spending the night connected to wires and sensors that monitor your brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and more. While this is an accurate and comprehensive test for sleep apnea diagnosis , this testing method can be pricey, inconvenient and uncomfortable.

For those seeking a more user-friendly alternative, the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test by Itamar Medical presents an excellent option. This device is a groundbreaking, portable at-home sleep apnea test (HSAT) that empowers patients to effortlessly assess their sleep health from the comfort of their own beds.

Beyond its unparalleled ease of use, this Home Sleep Study boasts robust technological advancements that ensure the highest degree of accuracy. Its innovative approach, encompassing proprietary signal analysis and sophisticated algorithms, provides precise insights into your sleep disorders, pinpointing obstructive and central sleep apnea events with unwavering reliability.

The WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is a wrist-worn device that uses a finger probe to monitor your blood oxygen levels, heart rate, chest motions, and body positions and movements, also called actigraphy, while you sleep. These metrics calculate your apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) , the number of times you stop breathing or have shallow breathing per hour of sleep. The higher the AHI, the more severe the sleep apnea.

This device also measures your peripheral arterial tone (PAT), which is the change in the volume of your blood vessels due to the activity of your sympathetic nervous system. The PAT signal reflects the changes in your airway resistance and can detect obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) events that occur when your throat muscles relax and block your airway.

To use the WatchPAT Once Home Sleep Test correctly, follow these simple steps:

Secure the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test to your non-dominant hand, ensuring a comfortable but snug fit, similar to a typical wristwatch. Avoid overtightening or loosening.

Gently insert your index finger into the finger probe. Hold the probe against a hard surface and press your finger fully in until it reaches the end. Do not pull the white/purple tab until you’re ready to start the overnight sleep study.

Once you’re prepared to sleep, pull the white/purple tab from the finger probe. Subsequently, press the testing device’s button to activate it. Upon successful activation, the display will show a “Good Night!” message.

During sleep, refrain from removing the wristband or manipulating any buttons, regardless of nighttime awakenings. Upon waking up in the morning, simply remove the device from your body.

Once you get your test results, you can consult with Sleeplay’s sleep specialists, and if sleep apnea is diagnosed, we can help you take the next steps. The WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is designed to be easy and comfortable to use at home. After just one night, you can dispose of the device. The device automatically uploads your data to the cloud, where it’s analyzed by a proprietary algorithm.

When using this device, no appointment or lab visit is necessary. After just one night of sleep in your own bed, this simple-to-use HSAT can tell us if CPAP therapy is right for you.

The WatchPAT One is a reliable and trustworthy device for diagnosing sleep apnea. Boasting a remarkable 98% success rate, its innovative design with only three points of contact - a comfortable wristband, a gentle finger probe, and a subtle light sensor - gathers precise data throughout the night, minimizing data loss and ensuring reliable and true sleep time.

This meticulous approach translates to results with unmatched accuracy, exceeding industry standards by achieving an 89% agreement with PSG results, which is the gold standard test for sleep apnea diagnosis.

The WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test study results are presented in a comprehensive sleep report that includes the following metrics:

• •True Sleep Time

• •Respiratory Disturbance Index

• •Apnea-Hypopnea Index

• •Oxygen Desaturation Index

• •Sleep Pulse Statistics

• •Snoring Statistics

• •Body Position Statistics

• •Sleep Stage Statistics and Sleep Architecture

Although the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test has a high success rate, it’s not infallible. Like any other device, it can encounter technical issues or human errors that can affect its performance. According to the manufacturer, the failure rate of the WatchPAT one is less than 2% , which means that out of 100 tests, only two may fail to provide valid results.

Some of the most common causes of failure are:

• •Poor Signal Quality: This can happen if the device is not properly attached to your wrist, finger or chest or if there’s interference from other devices or sources of light.

• •Data Loss: If the device runs out of battery, malfunctions or gets damaged during the night, some data loss can lead to incomplete and inaccurate results.

• •User Error: If you don’t follow the instructions correctly or don’t complete the questionnaire after using the device, your results may not reflect reality.

While the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, there are some potential side effects and risks to be aware of:

This may arise due to the pressure applied by the finger probe or the tightness of the wristband. To avoid this, ensure the device fits properly and adjust it if needed.

Some people may develop skin irritation, rash or allergy from the adhesive or the material the device is made of. This may be due to sensitive skin, sweating or prolonged contact with the device. To prevent this, ensure your skin is clean and dry before applying the device.

The unfamiliar sensation of wearing the device or the anxiety of being tested can make it difficult for some people to fall asleep or stay asleep. To minimize this, try to relax and follow your normal bedtime routine when using the device. If you wake up during the night, try not to remove or adjust the device unless it’s causing you significant discomfort or pain.

It’s common for some users to experience stress, anxiety, or fear when using this device. This can be due to the anticipation of the test results, the stigma of having a sleep disorder, or the impact of sleep apnea on your health and quality of life. To cope with this, you can seek support from your family, friends, doctor, or therapist if you feel overwhelmed or stressed.

There are two main types of sleep studies: at-home and in-lab. At-home sleep studies are performed in the comfort of your own bed using a portable device that you can set up yourself, such as the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test. In-lab sleep studies are conducted in a specialized facility, connected to multiple sensors and monitored by a sleep technician throughout the night.

An at-home sleep test is a convenient and affordable option for diagnosing sleep apnea. We can deliver them for free so you can start your test as quickly as possible. These devices are usually easy to use and come with clear instructions on how to attach the sensors to your body.

The main disadvantage of this type of test is that it may not capture all the information that an in-lab sleep study can provide, such as brain waves or eye movements, which are important to detect sleep disorders different from sleep apnea. Moreover, they may not be suitable for people who have certain medical conditions, such as severe heart disease, stroke or hypoventilation.

An in-lab sleep study is a more comprehensive and controlled option for diagnosing sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. To get one, you must schedule an appointment at a sleep center or a hospital that offers this test.

When you get this test, a technician will attach various sensors to your body using wires and electrodes. This sensor will measure up to 16 parameters: electroencephalogram, electrooculogram, electromyogram, electrocardiogram, nasal airflow, oral airflow, thoracic effort, abdominal effort, snoring, oxygen saturation, body position, leg movements, video recording, audio recording, pulse transit time and blood pressure.

These sensors can be extremely unpleasant to the user, making them unable to fall asleep comfortably, rendering their results useless. This is also a more expensive option than at-home sleep tests. Also, most people find it uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing to sleep in a sleep lab rather than in their own bed. In contrast, a home sleep test reflects results based on your natural sleep habits in your familiar sleep environment.

However, in-lab sleep tests can identify other sleep disorders that cannot be diagnosed with an at-home sleep test, such as narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome.

Yes, the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is FDA-approved. It received approval and funding from the USA Food and Drug Administration in 2019, making it one of the most reliable home sleep apnea tests available.

It’s also been certified by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for diagnosing sleep apnea in commercial drivers.

Yes, the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test can be used for multiple tests! It’s not just a one-time-use device, making it a cost-effective and convenient option for long-term sleep monitoring or repeated testing over time.

The WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is designed to diagnose obstructive and central sleep apnea, the most common types of sleep apnea. However, it may not be suitable for people who have other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder.

It may also not be accurate for people who have a history of heart disease, stroke or hypoventilation. If you have any of these conditions, consult your doctor before using the WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test.

As soon as the study is completed, you can view a summary of your results on your phone. You will also receive a detailed report from a board-certified sleep physician within 24 hours.

The WatchPAT One Home Sleep Test is an ideal option for adults with undiagnosed sleep apnea who don’t want to spend the night away from home in a sleep night for overnight monitoring or those waiting for a sleep diagnosis but can’t get a PSG test due to sleep center backlog.

This device can be used by anyone with unexplained symptoms of sleep apnea, such as:

• •Snoring

• •Long pauses in breathing and violent gasps or moans during sleep

• •Restless sleep

• •Morning headaches

• •Sore throat or dry mouth upon waking up

• •Frequent awakenings to urinate

• •Memory impairment

• •Erectile dysfunction

• •Chronic fatigue

• •Anxiety and depression

The WatchPAT One is one of the most convenient, inexpensive and accurate ways to get your sleep apnea diagnosis at home, and most people with suspected sleep apnea can benefit from it!

With this comprehensive Home Sleep Test, you can determine whether you suffer from sleep apnea. If the test indicates a diagnosis, we'll assist you in starting the appropriate treatment, including selecting the right CPAP equipment. Count on Sleeplay for personalized assistance and effective solutions to enhance your sleep health.