Clinical and technologic approaches to sleep evaluation.
This article discusses normal human sleep. Discoveries leading to an understanding of human sleep, electroencephalographic definitions, and general characteristics of normal human sleep are presented. Actuarial data for a first laboratory night are provided. Finally, the mechanisms governing sleep and wakefulness are reviewed and a model of normal sleep mechanisms going awry is outlined as an aid for understanding abnormal sleep associated with sleep disorders.
Hirshkowitz
Max
M
Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. maxh@bcm.tmc.edu
Sharafkhaneh
Amir
A
D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004585:Electrooculography; D006801:Humans; D020189:Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology