An App for Sleep Apnea

Sleep issues and sleep apnea is a very serious concern today for our patients health. I have been giving patients an Epworth sleepiness self assessment for several years. It is a great way to find out if patients should pursue their sleep with a physician and inquire about having a sleep study. Another incredible indicator of apnea is if someone else hears you stop breathing. Of course there are challenges with this approach. First there has to be a someone near you when you sleep to hear what is happening. Second, that someone has to be awake in order to listen and watch while you are sleeping. Third, that someone has to interpret what is happening.

Just this week I learned about a great tool I can recommend to my patients from a dear friend who practices in CA. It is an app that you can install that records and evaluates the sounds you make while you are sleeping. It can even show you graphs of what was happening. Not only is this a great self-learning tool, but can be taken to the doctor as part of the information to determine if a sleep study is indicated. The product is called SnoreLab and is available on the web and through the App Store. Thanks Chris Catalano for the great info!