Which of the following is FALSE with regard to the MSLT?

• A. Smoking not allowed within 30 minutes of starting a nap
• B. Physiological calibrations are done in five minutes prior to the onset of the nap period
• C. A patient should discontinue the use of stimulants two weeks prior to MSLT
• D. The MSLT includes seven nap periods

Answer: (D)

The test is designed with five nap opportunities to measure daytime sleepiness, not seven. In the standard MSLT, patients have five separate naps spaced about two hours apart after an overnight sleep period, and each nap can last up to 20 minutes. Because there are only five naps, the statement claiming seven nap periods is false.

Context helps: before each nap, the recording equipment is checked and calibrated to ensure accurate sleep staging and latency measurements, which explains why calibrations occur in the minutes leading up to each nap. Nicotine and other stimulants are avoided around the testing period because they can influence alertness and sleep propensity, so instructions typically prohibit activities like smoking close to nap times, and patients are asked to discontinue stimulants for a period before testing to prevent confounding results.