Sleep polygraphy in Paris: screen for sleep apnoea from home

Sleep apnoea syndrome, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops or is significantly reduced during sleep due to relaxation of the upper airway muscles. The device records apnoeas and hypopnoeas, drops in blood oxygen, heart rate pattern, and snoring or breathing effort, letting the cardiologist quantify how many events occur per hour and how severe the condition is. This matters clinically because sleep apnoea is frequently linked to high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and other rhythm disorders, and heart failure. Confirming and grading it is the first step toward the right treatment and toward protecting your cardiovascular health.

Through a light, portable device you fit yourself at home before going to bed. You first collect the device with a clear explanation of how to place the sensors: typically a nasal cannula, a finger sensor for oxygen level, and belts to detect breathing movement. Once fitted, it records continuously through the night without needing anyone present. The next morning you return it, and the cardiologist analyses the recorded night: frequency of apnoeas, oxygen drops, heart rate. No hospital stay required: everything happens in your own bed.

No. One of the main advantages of this test is that it happens entirely at home, in your own bed, for a night that reflects your real sleep rather than an unfamiliar setting. You collect the light recording device during the day, fit it yourself following clear instructions before sleeping, and return it the next morning. There's no need to stay anywhere overnight or be monitored in person: this home-based approach is what makes it a comfortable, representative way to screen for sleep apnoea, compared with more complex sleep-lab studies that do require an overnight stay.

No. It's specifically designed to be fitted by the patient, without medical assistance, once you've had a clear explanation. When you collect it, a team member walks you through exactly how to place each sensor: usually a small cannula near the nose, a clip on a finger, and one or two bands around the chest or abdomen. An instruction leaflet goes home with you as a reminder. Most patients fit it correctly the first time; if anything feels wrong once home, the instructions cover common adjustments so the night's recording stays usable.

No, entirely painless. The sensors (a nasal cannula, a finger clip, one or two chest or abdominal bands) are light and non-invasive; nothing injected, nothing enters the body. Most patients report that after the first few minutes they largely forget the device is there and sleep close to normally. Some find a night with any sensors slightly less restful, which is expected and doesn't affect the recording's quality. No discomfort during the day either, since the whole test happens overnight, with the device simply returned the following morning.

Keep your usual bedtime routine so the recorded night is representative, and avoid alcohol and sleeping pills that evening unless your doctor says otherwise, since both can affect breathing during sleep. Come with clean skin, no cream or lotion, so the sensors make good contact. Follow the fitting instructions given when you collect the device; they're written to be simple to follow alone at home. Beyond that, no special diet, fasting or medication change is required.

A well-established one, which is why a cardiology centre offers this screening. Repeated drops in blood oxygen and the strain of interrupted breathing are associated with high blood pressure, particularly hypertension that resists standard treatment, and with heart rhythm disorders, especially atrial fibrillation. Left untreated, sleep apnoea can also contribute to heart failure over time and raises stroke risk. When polygraphy confirms it, the cardiologist considers it alongside your other cardiovascular risk factors, since treating the apnoea often helps control associated conditions like blood pressure more effectively.

Typically requested for the classic signs of sleep apnoea: loud, frequent snoring, breathing pauses noticed by a partner, and excessive daytime sleepiness despite seemingly enough sleep. Morning headaches, poor concentration, low mood and reduced performance can also point toward it. We take these seriously because sleep apnoea is frequently under-diagnosed, and many affected people simply attribute their tiredness to normal life. If several signs sound familiar, this test is a low-effort way to get a clear, objective answer.

The cardiologist first explains the severity, based on how many breathing events occurred per hour during your recorded night. Treatment usually starts with lifestyle measures: weight loss is effective at any severity, and reducing alcohol and stopping smoking are also recommended. When that's not enough, the standard treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a device keeping the airway open during sleep via gentle air pressure through a mask. Other options exist depending on the case: a mandibular advancement device, or positional therapy. Follow-up continues afterward to check the treatment is easing both symptoms and cardiovascular risk.

A prescription from your doctor is generally required to carry out complementary examinations. If in doubt, our secretariat is available to advise you.

Use the online booking button on this page, or call the secretariat. Mention your symptoms, such as snoring, daytime sleepiness or breathing pauses noticed by someone else, so we can plan your appointment to collect the device. You'll take it home, fit it yourself following clear instructions, sleep as usual, and return it the next morning. Bring your medication list when you collect it. New patients are welcome, especially alongside hypertension or heart rhythm concerns.