Question 1

What is the Night Owl Home Sleep Test?

Accepted Answer

The NightOwl is a small, comfortable sensor that clips onto your fingertip and lets you test for sleep apnea at home.

There are no wires, belts, or nasal tubes—just a simple device you wear overnight.
👉 It’s designed to give you a clear answer without the hassle of a sleep lab.

Question 2

How does the test actually work?

Accepted Answer

The device uses a tiny light (similar to a pulse oximeter) to monitor your body while you sleep.
It tracks:
Blood oxygen levels (drops when breathing is disrupted)
Blood flow changes (PAT) that occur when your body reacts to breathing pauses
Movement to estimate when you’re asleep vs awake
👉 This allows us to detect how often your breathing is interrupted during the night.

Question 3

Why should I do this test now?

Accepted Answer

Sleep apnea is often missed and untreated, and it can lead to:
Fatigue and poor sleep quality
High blood pressure
Heart and metabolic risks
👉 The sooner you identify it, the sooner you can treat it—and start feeling better.

Question 4

Is this enough to diagnose sleep apnea?

Accepted Answer

In most cases, yes—when combined with physician review, this test can confirm sleep apnea.
However:
It does not measure brain waves or airflow directly
It cannot distinguish certain rare types (like central apnea)
👉 If results are unclear or symptoms persist, we may recommend a follow-up lab study.

Question 5

What exactly do the results tell me?

Accepted Answer

You’ll receive a measurement called the Respiratory Event Index (REI)
This tells us:
How many times per hour your breathing is disrupted
Whether you have sleep apnea
If it’s mild, moderate, or severe
👉 This is the same clinical framework used in sleep labs.

Question 6

What if my test comes back negative but I still have symptoms?

Accepted Answer

That’s important.
If your symptoms strongly suggest sleep apnea but the test is negative:
👉 We will guide you toward further evaluation (such as an in-lab study)
We don’t stop at “negative”—we make sure you get answers.

Question 7

Is this an FDA-Cleared device?

Accepted Answer

NightOwl™ is a fully disposable, FDA-cleared 510(k) home sleep apnea test (HSAT) that uses peripheral arterial tonometry.

Question 8

How accurate is this compare to a sleep lab test?

Accepted Answer

The NightOwl has been clinically validated and shows a strong correlation (~0.87) with in-lab sleep studies.
👉 That means it performs very closely to hospital-based testing for detecting sleep apnea.
We also improve accuracy by using a 3-night study, giving a more reliable picture than a single-night snapshot.

Question 9

Do I need to return the device or is it mine?

Accepted Answer

The device is yours. It can do up to 10 nights of tests. Once the life of the device is used then simply dispose of it. No need to return to us.

Question 10

Why do I need to wear it for 3 nights?

Accepted Answer

Sleep varies from night to night.
A single night can miss the problem—or underestimate it.
👉 By collecting 3 nights of data, we get:
More reliable results
Better detection of mild or intermittent apnea
A clearer clinical picture

Question 11

Do I have to wear a mask or tubes?

Accepted Answer

No, there are no masks or tubes—just simple tiny device you stick on your finger.

Question 12

Is it comfortable to wear?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Most patients forget they’re even wearing it.
It’s:
Lightweight
Worn only on your fingertip
No masks, wires, or chest straps
👉 This is one of the least intrusive sleep tests available.

Question 13

How long does it take to get results?

Accepted Answer

Once the tests are complete, you usually get your results within 2 business days.

Question 14

Will a doctor see the results?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our sleep doctor reviews, interprets and provides recommendations based on your results.

Question 15

Can it be paid by FSA or HSA?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this medical device does qualify as "medical care" under IRS §213(d) and can be paid through FSA or HSA.

Question 16

Is this test covered by insurance?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your insurance plan. We can provide you with the necessary information that is required to submit a claim with your insurance provider.

Question 17

Is it easy to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The device is wireless, and a downloaded phone app guides you step by step.

Question 18

Will a doctor see the results?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our sleep doctor reviews, interprets and provides recommendations based on your results.

Question 19

Does it hurt or have any side effects?

Accepted Answer

No, the device is comfortable, and there are no side effects. There are no needles.

Question 20

What happens if my results show a problem?

Accepted Answer

You can talk to a sleep doctor about treatment options to help you sleep better. We are here to help and guide you to better sleep!

Question 21

What happens after I complete the test?

Accepted Answer

Once you finish all 3 nights:
Your data is uploaded securely
A physician reviews and interprets the results
You receive a clear diagnosis and severity level (if present)
👉 Results are typically ready within 2 business days

Question 22

What is a sleep doctor?

Accepted Answer

A sleep specialist is a medical professional trained to assess and interpret sleep patterns, helping individuals understand their sleep health. They analyze sleep test results, identify sleep disorders, provide treatment and recommendations.

Question 23

References?

Accepted Answer

An Evaluation of the NightOwl Home Sleep Apnea Testing System.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2018. Massie F, Mendes de Almeida D, Dreesen P, et al.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults.
The New England Journal of Medicine. 2019. Veasey SC, Rosen IM.

Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnostic Testing for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2017. Kapur VK, Auckley DH, Chowdhuri S, et al.Guideline

Sleep Disordered Breathing and Cardiovascular Disease: JACC State-of-the-Art Review.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2021. Cowie MR, Linz D, Redline S, Somers VK, Simonds AK.

Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review.
The Journal of the American Medical Association. 2020. Gottlieb DJ, Punjabi NM.

Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnostic Testing for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2017. Kapur VK, Auckley DH, Chowdhuri S, et al.Guideline

Night-to-Night Variability in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Peripheral Arterial Tonometry: A Case for Multiple Night Testing.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2021. Tschopp S, Wimmer W, Caversaccio M, Borner U, Tschopp K.

Night-to-Night Fluctuations in Sleep Apnea Severity: Diagnostic and Treatment Implications.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2020. Dzierzewski JM, Dautovich ND, Rybarczyk B, Taylor SA.

The Accuracy of Repeated Sleep Studies in OSA: A Longitudinal Observational Study With 14 Nights of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring.
Chest. 2021. Roeder M, Sievi NA, Bradicich M, et al.

Multinight Prevalence, Variability, and Diagnostic Misclassification of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2022. Lechat B, Naik G, Reynolds A, et al.

Variability and Misclassification of Sleep Apnea Severity Based on Multi-Night Testing.
Chest. 2020. Punjabi NM, Patil S, Crainiceanu C, Aurora RN.

Expert Panel Perspectives on Multi-Night Testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Delphi Study.
Sleep Medicine. 2026. Fricke K, Heesen P, Sievi NA, et al.

Phenotyping REM OSA by Means of Peripheral Arterial Tone-Based home Sleep Apnea Testing and Polysomnography: A Critical Assessment of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Both Methods.
Journal of Sleep Research. 2022. Massie F, Van Pee B, Vits S, Verbraecken J, Bergmann J.

Context-Aware Analysis Enhances Autoscoring Accuracy of Home Sleep Apnea Testing.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. 2025. Massie F, Vits S, Verbraecken J, Bergmann J.

Frequently Asked Questions recognized by the AASM as an acceptable HSAT configuration

What is the Night Owl Home Sleep Test?

How does the test actually work?

Why should I do this test now?

Is this enough to diagnose sleep apnea?

What exactly do the results tell me?

What if my test comes back negative but I still have symptoms?

Is this an FDA-Cleared device?

How accurate is this compare to a sleep lab test?

Do I need to return the device or is it mine?

Why do I need to wear it for 3 nights?

Do I have to wear a mask or tubes?

Is it comfortable to wear?

How long does it take to get results?

Will a doctor see the results?

Can it be paid by FSA or HSA?

Is this test covered by insurance?

Is it easy to use?

Will a doctor see the results?

Does it hurt or have any side effects?

What happens if my results show a problem?

What happens after I complete the test?

What is a sleep doctor?

References?

Frequently Asked Questions
recognized by the AASM as an acceptable HSAT configuration