What does electrical interference do to the readings during polysomnography?

Electrical interference disrupts the clarity of the signals being monitored during polysomnography. In a sleep study, the goal is to accurately capture various physiological signals such as brain activity, eye movements, muscle tone, and heart rate. However, when electrical interference occurs, it introduces noise into the recording, which can obscure these desired signals.

This interference can stem from various sources, such as electronic devices, improper grounding of equipment, or even from the environment. Consequently, when the signals are obscured by this noise, technologists may struggle to interpret the data accurately, making it challenging to diagnose sleep disorders or assess sleep architecture reliably. Therefore, the presence of electrical interference significantly complicates the analysis of the polysomnographic data.