what is a sleep study number
If you have a sleep study such as a polysomnogram or even home sleep testing, you may receive a report from your doctor that describes the severity of your sleep apnea according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), but what is the AHI? Learn what the AHI is and how the measure is used to assess the severity of sleep apnea and your response to therapy. AHI, or the apnea-hypopnea index, is a numerical measure that accounts for the number of pauses in your breathing per hour of sleep. 1  These breathing disturbances are typically associated with either a brief arousal or awakening from sleep or a 3 to 4 percent drop in the blood oxygen levels, called a desaturation.