Abstract
AbstractActigraphy has been used for more than 60 years to objectively measure sleep–wake rhythms. Improved modern devices are increasingly employed to diagnose sleep medicine disorders in the clinical setting. Although less accurate than polysomnography, the chief advantage of actigraphs lies in the cost-effective collection of objective data over prolonged periods of time under everyday conditions. Since the cost of wrist actigraphy is not currently reimbursed, this method has not enjoyed wide acceptance to date. The present article provides an overview of the main clinical applications of actigraphy, including the recommendations of specialist societies.
Highlights
Actigraphy has been used for more than 60 years to objectively measure sleep–wake rhythms
Reimbursement aspects In Germany, actigraphy has not as yet been included in the catalog of services covered by health insurers
In Switzerland, actigraphy is included in the catalog of mandatory health insurance services, assuming the investigation is carried out at a sleep center recognized by the Swiss Society for Sleep Research, Sleep Medicine, and Chronobiology (SGSSC)
Summary
Behavior in the home setting plays an important role in many sleep-related disorders. Actigraphy has been used for more than 60 years to objectively measure sleep–wake rhythms [1] The procedure makes it possible to measure and evaluate movement and other parameters such as light exposure over a prolonged period of time. If one puts the main measuring instruments used in sleep medicine in order of accuracy, modern actigraphs rank below the accuracy of polysomnography for the majority of variables measured. Their chief advantage lies in the cost-effective collection of objective data over prolonged periods of time, usually 7–14 days, under everyday conditions. This plays a special role, for example, in the assessment of insomnia patients, as there can be considerable discrepancies between sleep protocols and actigraphy findings
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