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Overnight pulse oximetry
overnight oximetry · overnight pulse oximetry · oxygen level during sleep · sleep oxygen test
At home, you sleep with a small sensor on your finger. It records your blood oxygen and pulse all night.
For snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, daytime sleepiness, lung or heart disease, or to set up oxygen therapy.
⏱ Duration: one night at home; the report is usually ready in 1 to 3 days
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Nails. Remove nail polish and fake nails from the finger the sensor will go on.
- Evening. No alcohol and no extra coffee in the evening.
- Sleep. Sleep as usual, in your own bed.
What to bring
- The device and instructions the clinic gives you
- Your referral
- A list of your medicines
How it goes
- At the clinic, you get the device and are shown how to put it on
- Before bed, you put the sensor on your finger
- You turn on the device and go to sleep as usual
- If the sensor falls off at night, put it back on
- In the morning, you take it off and turn it off
- You return the device to the clinic
What you'll feel
- It does not hurt. The sensor is just a clip
- Sleeping with it feels odd at first
Afterwards
- Return the device by the time the clinic tells you
- The report is usually ready in 1 to 3 days
- If needed, your doctor will suggest a full sleep study
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Severe shortness of breath, blue lips, or chest pain: call emergency services
Common questions
What if the sensor falls off at night?
Put it back on. Short gaps usually do not matter, but tell the clinic about them.
Does this replace a sleep study?
Not fully. It is a simple first step. Sometimes a full sleep study is needed after it.