What is the significance of the hypnogram?

The hypnogram is a crucial tool in sleep medicine as it visually represents the various stages of sleep throughout the night. This graphical depiction allows healthcare professionals to track patterns and transitions between different sleep stages, such as REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. By analyzing the hypnogram, technologists can assess sleep architecture, including the duration and quality of each sleep stage.

Understanding the structure of sleep as illustrated in the hypnogram can lead to insights about sleep disorders, helping guide diagnosis and treatment. It provides a comprehensive overview, showing how long a patient was in each stage and how these stages interrelate throughout the sleep cycle, which is valuable for both evaluation and research in sleep health.