Understanding Sleep
Monitoring Sleep
Sleep is not homogenous – its structure, characterised by a sequence of sleep stages, is referred to as ‘sleep architecture’. Various methods are used to monitor the different stages of sleep, and these, along with a more detailed description of each stage are presented in the following sections.
Sleep stages are characterised based on electroencephalographic (electrical brain wave) activity, electro-oculographic activity (eye
movements), and electromyographic (muscle electrical) activity. Each of these sleep monitoring methods is briefly described below.
Electroencephalography
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a recording of the electrical activity of the brain using either central, occipital, or mastoid electrodes. It is the most common method currently used to monitor sleep.1
Electro-oculography
An electro-oculogram (EOG) is a recording of the electrical activity of the eyes created by the dipole (pair of electric point charges) between the cornea and retina and by the electrical change created by eyelid motion.1
Electromyography
An electromyogram (EMG) is a recording of the electrical activity of the muscles during sleep.1
Polysomnography
Polysomnography (PSG) is a comprehensive recording of the biophysical changes that occur during sleep and is usually conducted to evaluate sleeping disorders.
Useful Downloads
Sleep Quality Test(adapted from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Buysee et al, Psychiatry Res. 1989, 28(2), 193-213)
Start the test with your patient
Online Sleep Diary
This tool will give your patients the possibility to measure their sleep over weeks and months. They can create their own profile on this webpage and use the sleep diary to monitor their sleep over certain periods of time - e.g. 3 weeks. The results may form a foundation for their consultation with the physician.
How to start the online Sleep Diary.
Alternatively, your patient may prefer to keep a paper record of how well much they sleep at night, the quality of their sleep, as well as how they feel during the day.
References:
1. Berry RB, Geyer JD, Carney PR. Introduction to sleep and sleep monitoring – the basics. In: Carney PR, Berry RB, Geyer JD, eds. Clinical Sleep Disorders. © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, USA, 2005: 3–26.