Sleep studies in clinical neurophysiology

Abstract This chapter expands upon the foundational sleep EEG concepts introduced in Chapters 2–4, focusing on the application of full-spectrum sleep studies in clinical neurophysiology. Polysomnography is presented as the gold standard for comprehensive sleep assessment, with detailed guidance on standardised protocols, data acquisition and clinical interpretation. Additional diagnostic tools are reviewed, including the Multiple Sleep Latency Test for evaluating excessive daytime sleepiness, the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test for assessing ability to stay awake and actigraphy for tracking sleep-wake patterns in naturalistic settings. The chapter outlines structured approaches to reporting sleep study findings, incorporating normative data, scoring standards and contextual clinical relevance. Key features of major sleep disorder categories are compared, including sleep-related breathing disorders, hypersomnolence disorders (such as narcolepsy), circadian rhythm sleep disorders, parasomnias and sleep-related movement disorders. Emphasis is placed on correlating neurophysiological findings with symptom profiles to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient management. This chapter serves as a practical guide for clinicians and trainees involved in interpreting sleep studies within the broader context of neurophysiological assessment.