Do-it-yourself sleep study components?

Hi, I am a data addict!

I'm assembling an arsenal of data-collection tools to understand what is happening to me when I sleep (and to map my progress, if I ever wrestle a prescription out of my health provider).

So far, I have a Sony Handycam w/Nightshots that does a great job of recording my sleep in complete darkness.

I also just got an SPO PulseOx 7500 that records O2 saturation and heart rate.

Can anyone recommend other components, either pre-canned or cobbled-together?

Next, I'm most interested in knowing when/if I'm getting any REM sleep.

If I understand correctly, that is determined in the "16-channel polysomnography" by EOG (electroooculography) using electrodes placed above one eye and below the other eye. That doesn't seem like it should be too hard to replicate at home.

Electrotrodes should be relatively cheap/easy. As would abrasive paste to clear away dead skin cells and adhesive/conductive paste to affix the electrodes. Exact electrode location shouldn't be hard to find in literature or online. That leaves at least a 2-channel box that will pick up the signals and a software program that will record the signals with timecodes.

Anyone have advice? Or know of a pre-made gadget you can buy for REM sleep detection?

your nuts... I tried laying a digital recorder by my mouth so the next day I could listen for breathing pattern and possible obstruction. I got hours of snoring..

Nuts? I'm frustrated! And exhausted! OK, and maybe a little nuts too. But I'm an engineer, so that's to be expected.

What's the first thing I did when I figured out I probably had OSA and that it would take FOREVER to get diagnosed and treated? That's right... I started looking for non-medical air pumps that I could turn into a homemade CPAP. The only reason I haven't turned an aquarium pump into a makeshift CPAP is that I don't have the computer skills to make a data-logging "aquariumPAP".

I know I'm not the only person interested in do-it-yourself solutions. Yes, I'm looking at those of you wearing tights on your head with reptile heaters under your homemade hose cozies!

But the good news is that I found a used RemStar M-Series w/A-Flex online for cheap tonight. Hopefully when it arrives next week it will actually be what was advertised and will work, so I can titrate myself!

instead of wasting your time making your own sleep study, why don't you call around and see who in your area is offering portable sleep studies using Embla with the EEG?
It records:

2-EOG, 4- EEG, 2- respiratory belts, oxygen levels, chin movements, arousals, respiratory events, picks up breathing between mouth and nose with pressure transducer, has leg sensors, EKG, snore microphone and body position sensor. This hookup takes 10 minutes, and you will have your results back in less than 2 weeks.

Hey, polysomo-man! INTERESTING about the Embla w/EEG! Is Embla a part of Nonin? Or do they just use some Nonin components? Thanks for that headsup!!!

Its from Embla, the unit is called Embletta. I believe they joined up with Somnogelica if I remember correctly. I am in the process of buying some units myself. I am tired of waiting for the area to do it, so I am going to start marketing directly to people myself.

My "Redneck Sleep Lab" has the following components:

A Respironics M Series APAP with card reader and software
A CMS-50F recording pulse-ox
Sony Camcorder with night vision, I record on time lapse mode, 1 frame per second and I get the whole night. I have an infrared light as well.
A CPAP pressure gauge hooked inline with the CPAP hose (lets you watch your breathing on the tape)
A SleepTracker Pro sleep watch.

If you look at my other posts I've put some pretty detailed reviews of all this stuff in there.

I've listed these in the order I think someone should get them if they are interested in getting more information about their sleep. I have learned a lot myself.

I'm using the Embla (Emblet) 7000 XPod oximeter and sensor w/my S8 ResLink on my Resmed VPAP Auto. Both clearly have Nonin stamped on them.

Do you hook yourself up everynight? How much did you spend on all that equipment, if you don't mind me asking. You are definately unique. I understand you curiousity about how you are doing, and you pretty much have a portable study going with video. (minus the respiratory belts)

TS

Here goes

1) a data recording cpap machine (min an Auto, max an SV machine to get the BPM, Tidal Volume & other data Autos don't)

2) an SpO2 recording pulse ox that produces reasonably stable data (most are pretty good these days)

3) An abdominal effort measuring device (needs to be able to detect abdominal effort that indicates effort to breathe)

4) an airflow detector placed near the nose

5) A PCo2 recording monitor (these are getting quite inexpensive now)

Then it gets tricky

6) Electrical activity stick-on Probes & a program to analyse the output (sort of buyable)

From that lot you should be able to work something out

I like your spirit

DSM

dsm is going to start doing portables on the blackmarket at cut rates, aren't you!

Originally I wanted to know if I was leaking bad enough to affect my pressure and verify my pressure.

I got a pressure guage from CPAP.com and videotaped the needle. It revealed the breathing pattern quite well. You could see the needle deflect with each breath. As an apnea approached you could see the needle deflection shallow out to a stop followed by 2-3 large needle motions indicating deep breaths (gasps actually). Perhaps you could put one in the field of view of the video camera.

Relatively decent breathing pattern information and verifies your mean pressures quite well. There's just something about seeing it in analog that doesn't quite translate to digital.

you could also see if you can find a program that goes with your smart card in the back of the machine, and it will download a bunch of interesting material. (depending on which unit you have) It breaks down leak, respiratory events etc.

Okay, polysomno-man, how about clarifying that?

Resmed VPAP Auto
Resmed S8 II Elite w/EPR
Resmed S8 II AutoSet w/EPR
Respironics M Series Pro w/C-Flex
Respironics M Series Auto w/C-Flex or A-Flex
Respironics pre-M Series Bi-PAP Auto w/Bi-Flex

>> ]Do you hook yourself up everynight?

No. I have had a problem where my AHI was below 5 meaing I was "cured". I still felt awful and had apnea-like symptoms (morning headaches, tired all day.) I sat at the abyss, ready to go into treating "something else" but I really thought that it was sleep-related. I hooked myself up every night for a couple of months. I was able to spot clear patterns indicating that the problem was sleep-related. If I have apnea events, even one, it wakes me up - wrecking my sleep cycles. An AHI of 4 or 5 leaves me feeling like a zombie. Apparently I am more sensitive than most and respond to breathing events with arousals.

Once I was satisfied that I had the pattern down I stopped hooking it all up. I trained myself to sleep off of my back as I had a lot more events on my back. Video was good for monitoring how this was going. I also spent a lot of time worrying about mouth leaks but from the video I could see I had none. I was seeing momentary leaks that were caused by changes in position, I stopped worrying about those.

Currently I am working on dialing in a dental appliance with the help of an apnea dentist. I am still wearing the machine so I can track the numbers and I might use the pulse-ox if I decide to discontinue the machine once the appliance is dialed in better. I may wean off the APAP, I may continue with both.

I learned an awful lot about what goes on when the lights are out. Usually I can tell you my AHI to within a point just by the way I feel. I've become very attuned to what is going on and what is causing it.

>> How much did you spend on all that equipment, if you don't mind me asking. You are definately unique. I understand you curiousity about how you are doing, and you pretty much have a portable study going with video. (minus the respiratory belts)

Well lemme see.
APAP was about $600
Software and card reader another $200
SleepTracker $200
Pulse-Ox - $200
Pressure gauge: $100
Video: $300

About $1600 dollars in rough numbers, bought over 2 years.

I wouldn't define my interest as "curiosity." The way that I have been feeling comprises a serious threat to my health and well-being. My HMO plan isn't much help. For me it's either figure out what the f**k is going on with me or die a slow, miserable death.