What does sleep latency indicate about an individual's sleep?

Sleep latency specifically refers to the time it takes for an individual to transition from full wakefulness to sleep after turning off the lights or getting into bed. Measuring sleep latency provides important insights into a person's sleep patterns and potential sleep issues. A short sleep latency may suggest that an individual is very sleep-deprived or is experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness, while a longer sleep latency can indicate issues such as insomnia or anxiety.

In contrast, the other options relate to different aspects of sleep: duration refers to how long someone sleeps, frequency of waking pertains to interruptions during sleep, and deep sleep indicates the quality of sleep rather than the time it takes to fall asleep. Thus, understanding sleep latency is crucial for identifying and addressing sleep-related concerns.