What a sleep study is and the two common types
Sleep study listing basics for patients and families. Lesson 1, 12 min.
A sleep study records what your body does while you sleep. A clinician then reads the recording. This course does not teach you to read one. It teaches you to read a clinic listing and to ask good questions.
Two common types
- In-lab sleep study. You sleep at a sleep center with sensors attached. The study is called polysomnography. This site lists it under CPT code 95810.
- Home sleep apnea test. You use a small kit in your own bed. It records fewer signals than a lab study. It is meant to look at breathing during sleep. This site lists it under CPT code 95806 or G0399.
The site also lists a CPAP titration or split-night study (CPT 95811) and a multiple sleep latency test (CPT 95805). CPT codes are US billing codes. The site shows them so that you can compare the same service at different places.
Who decides which test fits
Your own clinician decides which test fits your case. A home test and an in-lab study are not the same service. Do not choose between them by price or by convenience alone. Ask your clinician first.
What a listing cannot tell you
A listing cannot tell you whether you need a sleep study. It cannot tell you which test a clinician would pick for you. It is not a referral.
Sources
- SleepStudies guide: What is a sleep study? Polysomnography explained (updated 2026-10-28)
- SleepStudies guide: Home sleep apnea test vs in-lab sleep study (updated 2026-10-28)
- SleepStudies study type list in the site configuration (CPT 95810, 95806, G0399, 95811, 95805)
This course is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.