Sleep Technologist Course

Lesson 1 • Normal Sleep Architecture

Defines NREM and REM stages, cycling patterns, and age-related changes. Establishes the baseline against which pathological recordings are compared.

Lesson 2 • Anatomy of the Sleep System

Covers brain structures, neurotransmitters, and pathways governing sleep-wake transitions. Provides the biological basis for interpreting polysomnographic findings.

Lesson 3 • Overview of Sleep Disorders

Surveys major diagnostic categories including insomnias, hypersomnias, parasomnias, and sleep-related breathing disorders. Frames the clinical context for polysomnography.

Lesson 4 • Circadian Rhythm Principles

Explains the two-process model of sleep regulation and circadian timing. Connects chronobiology to clinical presentations of sleep disorders.

Lesson 1 • PSG Recording System Components

Identifies amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, and acquisition software. Understanding hardware architecture supports accurate signal configuration.

Lesson 2 • Pre-Study Calibrations and Checks

Covers biocalibration procedures, filter settings, and sensitivity adjustments. Systematic pre-study checks prevent data loss and ensure interpretable recordings.

Lesson 3 • Standard Montage Configuration

Defines the AASM-recommended electrode placement system and channel assignments. Students build a complete montage meeting current clinical standards.

Lesson 4 • Electrode and Sensor Types

Covers EEG cup electrodes, EOG leads, EMG sensors, and respiratory transducers. Correct sensor selection ensures signal fidelity across all physiological channels.

Lesson 1 • Digital Filtering and Display Settings

Covers high-pass, low-pass, and notch filter applications for EEG optimisation. Appropriate filter use preserves clinically relevant signal components.

Lesson 2 • Fundamentals of EEG Waveforms

Defines frequency bands, amplitude, and morphology of brain electrical activity. Provides the vocabulary needed for systematic EEG review.

Lesson 3 • Referential and Differential Derivations

Explains linked-ear, average, and bipolar reference schemes and their effect on signal appearance. Derivation choice influences waveform localisation and amplitude.

Lesson 4 • Sleep-Specific EEG Graphoelements

Identifies K-complexes, sleep spindles, vertex sharp waves, and slow-wave activity. Recognition of these elements is essential for accurate sleep staging.

Lesson 1 • Hypnogram Construction and Interpretation

Translates epoch-by-epoch scoring into a visual hypnogram and summary statistics. Hypnogram patterns guide clinical interpretation and report generation.

Lesson 2 • Scoring Rules for REM Sleep

Identifies low-amplitude mixed-frequency EEG, rapid eye movements, and atonic chin EMG. REM scoring accuracy is critical for diagnosing REM-related disorders.

Lesson 3 • Scoring Rules for Wake and N1

Defines alpha attenuation, low-amplitude mixed-frequency activity, and slow eye movements. Distinguishes wakefulness from the lightest NREM stage.

Lesson 4 • Arousal Scoring and Transitions

Defines EEG frequency shifts signalling arousals and rules for stage transitions. Arousal index calculation links to clinical measures of sleep fragmentation.

Lesson 1 • Oxygen Desaturation Scoring

Defines desaturation event criteria and calculates oxygen desaturation index. Oximetry data contextualises respiratory event severity.

Lesson 2 • Cheyne-Stokes and Hypoventilation Patterns

Recognises crescendo-decrescendo breathing and CO2-based hypoventilation criteria. These patterns indicate central nervous system or cardiopulmonary pathology.

Lesson 3 • Respiratory Effort-Related Arousals

Identifies RERA patterns using oesophageal pressure or surrogate signals. RERA scoring contributes to the respiratory disturbance index calculation.

Lesson 4 • Apnoea and Hypopnoea Scoring

Applies duration, amplitude, and desaturation criteria to classify obstructive, central, and mixed apnoeas. Accurate event scoring determines AHI and treatment eligibility.

Lesson 1 • ECG Recording in PSG

Covers single-lead ECG placement, signal optimisation, and rate calculation. Cardiac monitoring during PSG detects arrhythmias linked to sleep-disordered breathing.

Lesson 2 • Bruxism and Other Motor Events

Identifies rhythmic masticatory muscle activity and isolated leg movements. Distinguishes these events from PLMs and parasomnias in the scoring context.

Lesson 3 • Periodic Limb Movement Scoring

Applies series, interval, and amplitude rules to score PLMs and calculate PLMI. PLM scoring supports diagnosis of periodic limb movement disorder.

Lesson 4 • Limb Movement Recording

Defines anterior tibialis EMG placement and signal parameters for leg movement detection. Accurate limb EMG setup is prerequisite to movement disorder scoring.

Lesson 1 • NREM Parasomnia PSG Features

Identifies slow-wave sleep instability, confusional arousals, and sleepwalking EEG patterns. PSG findings differentiate NREM parasomnias from nocturnal seizures.

Lesson 2 • REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder

Defines REM without atonia criteria and video-PSG documentation requirements. RBD identification has critical implications for neurodegenerative disease screening.

Lesson 3 • Paediatric PSG Adaptations

Applies age-specific scoring rules for infants and children including different stage criteria. Paediatric normative values differ substantially from adult reference ranges.

Lesson 4 • Complex and High-Acuity Patients

Addresses protocol modifications for patients with neuromuscular disease, obesity, or ICU status. Technologist adaptability ensures data quality across diverse clinical scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Split-Night Study Design

Defines criteria for transitioning from diagnostic to titration within a single night. Split-night protocols maximise efficiency while maintaining diagnostic validity.

Lesson 2 • Structured Report Writing

Organises findings into standardised sections covering technical quality, sleep architecture, and event summaries. Clear report structure facilitates physician review and billing accuracy.

Lesson 3 • Titration Study Protocols

Covers CPAP, BiPAP, and ASV titration procedures and pressure adjustment criteria. Titration studies translate diagnostic findings into individualised therapy settings.

Lesson 4 • Quality Assurance and Scoring Reliability

Implements inter-rater reliability checks, scoring audits, and corrective feedback loops. QA processes maintain laboratory accreditation standards and patient safety.