# What a sleep study is and the two common types

Lesson 1 of [Sleep study listing basics for patients and families](https://sleepstudies.fyi/academy/sleep-study-listing-basics.md), 12 minutes.

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.

Also on the [web page](https://sleepstudies.fyi/academy/sleep-study-listing-basics/what-a-sleep-study-is).