actigraphy

actigraphy

Actigraphy is a method for tracking sleep and daily movement by wearing a small, wrist-worn device that contains an accelerometer. The device records movements continuously for days or weeks, and software converts those motion patterns into estimates of when you are asleep, awake, or active. Because it can be used in your normal environment, actigraphy gives a realistic picture of your sleep habits and day-to-day routines over long periods. Clinicians and researchers use it to study sleep duration, sleep timing, nighttime awakenings, and circadian patterns without the complexity of a sleep lab. It is especially useful for monitoring shift workers, people with suspected sleep disorders, or patients undergoing treatment, since it reveals trends and changes over time. Compared with full sleep studies, actigraphy is less invasive, cheaper, and easier to repeat, but it cannot measure brain activity or sleep stages and can mistake motionless wakefulness for sleep. Interpretation usually combines the device data with sleep diaries or symptom reports to improve accuracy. Because it gives objective, long-term information about sleep and activity, actigraphy helps guide treatment decisions and measures whether interventions are working. For many people, having a clear record of sleep patterns is a practical first step toward better sleep hygiene and health. Its balance of convenience and meaningful data makes it a common tool in both clinics and home-based research.