Actigraphy is primarily used to assess sleep-wake patterns by recording movements from which limb?

Actigraphy is primarily used to assess sleep-wake patterns by recording movements from which limb?

• A. Nondominant wrist
• B. Dominant wrist
• C. Left ankle
• D. Right ankle

Answer: (A)

Actigraphy measures sleep-wake by tracking movement with a wrist-worn accelerometer. The limb choice affects how cleanly that movement reflects true rest. Placing the device on the nondominant wrist is preferred because this hand tends to have less routine daytime movement, producing fewer artifacts and clearer signals for when someone is asleep versus awake. That cleaner data improves the accuracy of detecting sleep onset and awakenings. Using the dominant wrist introduces more daytime activity that can bleed into the signal, making the distinction between sleep and wake less reliable. Ankles can be more variable and are less practical for long-term, comfortable wear, so the nondominant wrist remains the standard placement.

Actigraphy measures sleep-wake by tracking movement with a wrist-worn accelerometer. The limb choice affects how cleanly that movement reflects true rest. Placing the device on the nondominant wrist is preferred because this hand tends to have less routine daytime movement, producing fewer artifacts and clearer signals for when someone is asleep versus awake. That cleaner data improves the accuracy of detecting sleep onset and awakenings. Using the dominant wrist introduces more daytime activity that can bleed into the signal, making the distinction between sleep and wake less reliable. Ankles can be more variable and are less practical for long-term, comfortable wear, so the nondominant wrist remains the standard placement.