What is one of the key indicators monitored to assess sleep apnea?

Monitoring respiration rate is crucial in assessing sleep apnea because disturbances in breathing patterns are a hallmark of the condition. During sleep, individuals with sleep apnea often experience episodes of cessation of breathing (apneas) or reduced breathing (hypopneas). By tracking the respiration rate, practitioners can identify these episodes, evaluate their duration and frequency, and gain insight into the severity of the sleep apnea. This data is essential for diagnosing the condition and recommending appropriate treatment options.

In contrast, the other options, while important in different medical contexts, do not directly indicate sleep apnea. Electrical activity in the heart is primarily monitored for cardiac conditions, blood pressure fluctuations can indicate cardiovascular health but are not specific to sleep apnea, and body temperature changes do not directly reflect changes in respiratory patterns during sleep.