Sleep and the enuresis alarm device.

The effect on sleep of the wire-mesh element within the `buzzer and pad' enuresis alarm device was studied using healthy adult volunteers in a single or double crossover design. Polygraphic recording revealed a reduction in the number of shifts between sleep stages, and in the time spent in wakefulness, movement and stage 1, on the nights when the mesh was in the bed. This effect may be responsible for preventing some of the enuretic episodes which would otherwise have occurred at such times.