Ambulatory Polysomnography

Standard ambulatory polygraph testing — as covered by statutory health insurance — records airflow, oxygen saturation and body position. This is sufficient for sleep apnea screening. However, it cannot assess sleep itself: sleep stages, wake phases, arousals or periodic limb movements are not captured.

This is where ambulatory polysomnography comes in. By additionally recording EEG, EOG and EMG, we can assess not only breathing but sleep itself — with a full sleep stage evaluation according to the criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). And all of this without having to spend a night in a sleep laboratory.

Experience in Sleep Medicine

I bring several years of clinical experience from the sleep laboratory — including the performance and interpretation of polygraphies and polysomnographies, as well as guideline-based treatment of various sleep disorders. Since 2025, I have been completing the formal advanced training for the additional qualification in Sleep Medicine at the Sleep Center in Halle/Saale.

For you this means: reliable identification of the individual sleep stages (Wake, N1, N2, N3, REM), precise detection of arousals and respiratory events, and a report that goes beyond the raw numerical output of any scoring software. Every automated pre-analysis is manually reviewed and clinically interpreted — because technology alone cannot replace the physician's judgment.

What is measured?

For ambulatory polysomnography we use a portable medical recording system that you can comfortably wear at home. Among the parameters recorded are:

• EEG, EOG and EMG — for sleep staging and arousal detection
• Airflow, respiratory effort and oxygen saturation
• Heart rate, snoring sounds and body position
• Leg movements for the assessment of periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS)

The result is a detailed report including a sleep profile (hypnogram), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), arousal index, sleep efficiency and other relevant parameters — supplemented by a thorough clinical interpretation.

When Is Polysomnography Appropriate?

Ambulatory polysomnography goes beyond basic sleep apnea screening. It is indicated when a differentiated assessment of sleep is required:

• Suspected sleep apnea with the desire for comprehensive diagnostics without sleep lab waiting times
• Inconclusive or borderline polygraph findings
• Suspected periodic limb movement disorder (PLMS) or REM sleep behaviour disorder
• Therapy monitoring under CPAP or after weight reduction
• Pronounced daytime sleepiness without clear findings in basic diagnostics
• Treatment-resistant insomnia despite guideline-based CBT-I or suspected paradoxical insomnia (see note below)

How the Study Works

The procedure is straightforward: during an appointment at the practice, the recording system is fitted and the sensors positioned. You take the device home and sleep in your familiar environment — this alone improves the study's validity, as the so-called "first-night effect" (poorer sleep in a sleep lab due to unfamiliar surroundings) is eliminated. The next morning you return the device. The analysis and discussion of findings take place in a separate appointment.