When someone sleeps in the lab, we record brainwaves, eye movements and muscle tone in order to detect if the person is asleep or awake.
Heart rate is recorded as a precaution.
If the person is asleep, we can detect what stage of sleep they are in. The recording is called a polysomnogram. Click the stage name below to see a large image, use your back button on your mouse by right clicking near the edge of the page to return to this text. Awake Fast active brainwaves, elevated muscle tone, steady heartbeat. Obvious indications that our subject is awake.