Preparing for a Sleep Apnoea Specialist Appointment
Sleep apnoea is significantly underdiagnosed — many people suffer years of fatigue and cognitive impairment without knowing the cause. A sleep specialist needs detailed documentation of snoring, witnessed apnoeas, daytime sleepiness, and morning symptoms to determine whether sleep study is needed. Accurate history directly influences diagnostic speed and treatment initiation.
Reviewed by the Brief My Doctor editorial team · Last updated June 2026
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What to tell your doctor
- 1Whether you snore and how loud (can you be heard from the next room?)
- 2Witnessed apnoeas: partner reporting you stop breathing, gasping, or choking at night
- 3Daytime somnolence: how often you fall asleep unintentionally, doze in meetings or while driving
- 4Morning symptoms: headaches, dry mouth, fatigue, cognitive fog
- 5Night-time awakening: how often you wake, whether due to gasping, needing to urinate, or feeling like you cannot breathe
- 6Sleep position and whether you are aware of position changes at night
- 7Restless sleep, thrashing, or frequent position changes
- 8Impact on work safety, driving, relationship
- 9BMI and neck circumference if known
- 10Alcohol use before bed
Questions to ask your doctor
- Q1.Do I need a sleep study? What type (home or lab)?
- Q2.What is the timeline for testing?
- Q3.If I have apnoea, what are treatment options?
- Q4.Is CPAP the first-line treatment?
- Q5.Are there alternatives to CPAP?
- Q6.Will treatment improve my daytime symptoms?
- Q7.How often do I need follow-up sleep studies?
- Q8.Are there lifestyle changes that help?
Don't forget to bring
- ✓Partner's observations of your sleep (snoring, gasping, apnoeas)
- ✓Daytime sleepiness examples and frequency
- ✓Morning symptom documentation
- ✓Current medications
- ✓Weight and height for BMI calculation
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