Actimetry (long-term movement recording)

What is it?

The actimetry device registers movement or the lack thereof. Livelier movements indicate wakefulness. The device differentiates between actual periods of sleep and wakefulness. Used in conjunction with the keeping of a sleep diary. The watch-like test device is worn on the wrist for 10-14 days, around the clock.

The actimetry device measures:

• body activity
• light sensitivity

Options?

Actimetry helps to better determine which sleep-wakefulness rhythm disorder the person may be suffering from.

Devices?

The centre uses two different actimetry devices:
• Philips Respironics Actiwatch Spectrum PRO
• Philips Respironics Actiwatch 2

Actiwatch Spectrum PRO:
1) the watch is placed on the more active hand

2) by pressing the watch’s left button, you can choose either “A” or “B”; activation is done with the watch’s right button. Press it twice, until you see number, e.g. “1” (shows pressed times)

3) remove the wrist watch in case of possible exposure to water

4) the recording is activated automatically.

Actiwatch 2
1) the watch is placed on the more active hand

2) remove the wrist watch in case of possible exposure to water

3) the recording is activated automatically

Carrying out the Procedure

The actimetry device shall be given to the patient to take home with them from the sleep centre by the sleep doctor or sleep counsellor. The device is activated in the sleep centre. Using the device at home is easy. In order to register the data, the device must be worn on the wrist. The device is not water or heatproof. Please take off the watch when taking a shower or going to sauna.

Data analysis shall be performed in the sleep centre after 10-14 days of recording. Data shall be loaded from the device for this purpose and analysed together with the patient. It is possible to determine bedtime and waking up times based on the recording. If necessary, the time spent in bed is altered based on this information and sleep is modified to get the required rhythm.