sleep architecture
The structural organization of sleep stages and cycles as recorded during polysomnography.
Full Definition
Sleep architecture refers to the cyclical pattern and distribution of sleep stages throughout the night, including non-REM stages 1, 2, and 3, and REM sleep. Normal sleep architecture shows predictable patterns with deeper non-REM sleep predominating in the first half of the night and REM sleep becoming more prominent toward morning. Sleep efficiency, sleep latency, REM latency, and the percentage of time spent in each sleep stage are key components of sleep architecture analysis. Disrupted sleep architecture is characteristic of various sleep disorders and can indicate underlying pathology.
Usage
Usage note: Use as a compound noun; avoid hyphenation when not used as a modifier.
In Context
- "The polysomnography showed severely disrupted sleep architecture with frequent arousals." — Sleep study interpretation
- "Normal sleep architecture was restored after three months of CPAP therapy." — Follow-up sleep assessment