A patient on benzodiazepines undergoing a PSG to rule out parasomnia can expect what effect on their sleep results?

Benzodiazepines are known to significantly influence sleep architecture in patients undergoing polysomnography (PSG). These medications, commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders, have a sedative effect that alters how sleep is structured.

Typically, benzodiazepines lead to a decrease in slow-wave sleep, which corresponds to stage N3. This is the stage that is crucial for restorative sleep. On the other hand, they can promote an increase in stage N1 sleep, the lightest stage of sleep, which is often characterized by more fragmented and less restorative sleep. Therefore, when a patient is on benzodiazepines during a PSG to rule out parasomnia, it is expected that there will be decreased amounts of stage N3 sleep coupled with an increase in stage N1 sleep, which aligns with the impact benzodiazepines have on sleep architecture.

Patients using benzodiazepines may also experience other effects on sleep, such as changes in REM sleep, but the specific combination of decreased stage N3 and increased stage N1 is most characteristic of how these medications alter sleep patterns. This understanding is critical in interpreting the sleep study results accurately, making option C the most appropriate answer.