For sleep apnea for example which only happens when you are asleep they only need you to be asleep and then they monitor when it happens then adjust air pressure etc and see if that helps.

Their equipment is much more precise than for example CPAP machine, so they get more exact data.

they can still compare it to other people doing a study.

I did a sleep study that was done at home. They just sent a device I clipped on my index finger, strapped around my chest and put a small tube around my nose.

It's definitely still a little artificial, but it's at home with no one live monitoring you. As long as you get some sleep they can use stats and all the various data to get an idea of what's going on.

I think it's about the few minutes when you do actually sleep, to determine if you have sleep apnea.

You're in stuffy room tethered to a machine by a million wires everywhere from your knees up and covered in smelly glue and sticky pads.

My first study was in a sleep lab. It is as you describe. My second study last week was at home in my own bed. The experience was much the same.

I had to have a couple EEGs as a kid. Similar situation, told to sleep with a bunch of sticky pads stuck to my head. Wasn’t too bad as I recall because they had me stay up extra late so I was already really tired and just conked out immediately

My first sleep study was 3 hours, then they got scared and woke me up and sent me home.

Turns out I had very severe sleep apnea.

My second sleep test was a trial using CPAP, that lasted 2 hours before they swapped in a BiPap and a full face mask. Slept like a baby after that.

My wife has mild sleep apnea, her pressure is 6, my pressure is 22. It wasn't until I got an Auto BiPap, that adjusts between 20-25 that my sleep really got better.

I had basically the same thought. I don't sleep well now and I didn't then.

However, it turns out they don't need much data. The night they did my first sleep study, I woke up a number of times in the double digits in an amount of time that was so annoying to them that they gave up and sent me home early. They were still able to affect a diagnosis (and back it up with quantifiable data, lest you think them fakers). A full night of sleep is helpful to them to do things like verify your symptoms, but it seems not that much is needed.

Also, as others have said, you can do an at home study. I did one of those as well (later) and it was just a finger sensor (basically a pulse oximeter) and a sticky pad you put on your chest (which does kinda suck if you have chest hair but isn't unpleasant or cumbersome otherwise). I trust that test less, but in case you feel you have sleep apnea, it's less weird and just as likely to get you the equipment you need.

Lots of people describe their CPAP as life changing and I believe them. For me I wouldn't call it life changing in the traditional sense, but I would describe it as beneficial enough that I recommend one. Even if it were 100% psychosomatic, I would say it helps enough that it's improved my sleep. I recommend a test to you. Worst case scenario, it's one unpleasant night to find where you stand. Best case scenario, it really is life changing (and hopefully for the better)! If you have questions, while I'm in no way even remotely an expert, I have been through it and would be happy to answer any to the best of my knowledge.

Please take care of yourself if you can. Your health is worth it.

Talk to the specialist, my sleep study last week was done at home in my own bed. Went into hospital for an hour to get wired up, drove home and went to bed at my normal time.

That reminds me of an extremely strange part of a movie, Brainstorm from 1983. The movie is about a device that attaches like an EEG and records (on tape!) all the sensory input the person is having, and can be played back for someone else to experience. One guy who's kind of a jerk records himself having sex then cuts out a loop of tape with just when he came. He is found by the other characters playing it back, having had something like an 8 hour long orgasm. Bizarrely, afterwards he was much nicer and wiser. This is how I remember it anyway. I might have to watch it again.

TL;DR A guy reaches enlightenment from sci-fi VR porn.

Me when I load up E6