Polysomnography (PSG) is a study or test done while you’re fully asleep. A doctor will observe you as you sleep, record data about your sleep patterns, and may identify any sleep disorders.
During a PSG, the doctor will measure the following to help chart your sleep cycles:
- brain waves
- skeletal muscle activity
- blood oxygen levels
- heart rate
- breathing rate
- eye movement
A polysomnography test may be performed at a sleep center or in a special room in the hospital. The patient is usually asked to come in the late evening for the polysomnography test, in order to record the various sleep patterns while the patient is asleep. The entire process of polysomnography is being monitored and then analyzed by an experienced sleep specialist. Polysomnography test usually records the patient’s body shifts between 2 phases i.e. Rapid eye movement (REM) and Non-rapid eye movement (NREM). Non-rapid eye movement is further divided into 2 stages:
