Technical Review of Polysomnography

Polysomnography has developed from our understanding of sleep and its associated physiologic processes. This important tool extends the clinical examination into dynamic states that typically do not permit intrusive inspection. The two critical components of polysomnography are the determination of sleep-wake stage and identification of related bodily processes. In this article, the authors review the current standards for clinical polysomnography and discuss technical considerations that influence the accuracy of recorded data.