What is the primary goal of polysomnography?

The primary goal of polysomnography is to assess sleep patterns and disorders. This comprehensive sleep study records various physiological aspects during sleep, including brain activity (electroencephalogram), eye movements (electrooculogram), and muscle tone (electromyogram), alongside heart rate and respiratory function. By capturing these data points, polysomnography allows healthcare providers to analyze sleep stages and identify potential sleep-related issues, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome. Understanding these patterns and disorders is crucial for diagnosing sleep conditions and formulating effective treatment plans, making this the main focus of polysomnographic evaluation.

Other options touch on important physiological functions—heart function, respiratory health, and cognitive function—but they do not encompass the broad goal of understanding sleep itself and its disturbances, which is central to what polysomnography aims to achieve.