What action should a sleep technician take to correct 60Hz electrical interference immediately after lights out?

When addressing 60Hz electrical interference immediately after lights out, reapplying the electrode is an effective action. This type of interference often stems from poor electrode contact or a loose connection that allows nearby electrical activity to enter the signal. By reapplying or adjusting the electrode, the technician can enhance the quality of contact with the skin, thereby reducing the influence of external electrical noise and improving the signal integrity.

Turning on a notch filter is indeed a common practice to eliminate specific frequencies of interference such as 60Hz; however, this option may not address the root cause of the interference immediately. Using a time constant of less than 1 second could potentially distort other signal characteristics rather than focusing on the noise source, while setting the high-frequency filter (HFF) to 35Hz would limit signal acquisition of higher frequencies, which might not be advisable in all scenarios. Therefore, reapplying the electrode directly targets the issue of poor contact, which is crucial for capturing accurate sleep study data.