What term describes the recurring pattern of sleep cycles throughout the night?

The term that describes the recurring pattern of sleep cycles throughout the night is sleep architecture. Sleep architecture refers to the structure and pattern of sleep cycles, which include different stages such as REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. Each cycle typically lasts about 90 minutes, and during a typical night of sleep, a person will go through several of these cycles. This concept encompasses the organization of sleep stages and their durations, which is critical for understanding overall sleep quality and effectiveness.

The other terms do have relevance to sleep studies but refer to different concepts. Sleep hygiene focuses on practices and habits that help improve sleep quality, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and creating a comfortable sleep environment. Sleep latency is the amount of time it takes to transition from full wakefulness to sleep, which is a distinct measurement that does not describe the cyclical nature of sleep. Sleep continuity refers to the overall stability and continuity of sleep throughout the night but does not specifically address the structured pattern of the cycles themselves. Therefore, sleep architecture is the most appropriate term for the recurring patterns of sleep cycles experienced during the night.