3.11. Ultraradian and Infraradian

Question 1

How is the sleep-wake cycle measured?

Answer 1

Through EEGs, roughly 90-100 mins in length.

Question 2

How many cycles every night?

Answer 2

Roughly 5

Question 3

How many stages in the sleep-wake cycle?

Answer 3

5

Question 4

Stage 1 of sleep-wake cycle

Answer 4

NREM: Light sleep, muscle activity slows (twitching happens)

Question 5

Stage 2 of sleep-wake cycle

Answer 5

NREM: breathing and heart slows

Question 6

Stage 3 of sleep-wake cycle

Answer 6

NREM: deep sleep begins

Question 7

Stage 4 of sleep-wake cycle

Answer 7

NREM: very deep sleep, limited muscle activity

Question 8

Stage 5 of sleep-wake cycle

Answer 8

REM: brain activity resembles that when awake
Muscle paralysis happens (to stop activity when acting out a dream)

Question 9

What is the basic rest activity cycle?

Answer 9

• Not as obvious as the sleep cycle but 90-100 cycles occur during the awake period.
• We move progressively from a state of alertness to fatigue.
• Endogenous and exogenous pacemakers work together to keep us in time

Question 10

Strength (under 24 hrs): Ericsson

Answer 10

• Ericsson found elite violinists limited their practice to no more than 90 mins at a time and napped frequently to recover from practice sessions
• Common amongst athletes, chess players and writers

Question 11

Weakness (under 24 hrs): sleep diffs

Answer 11

Sleep diffs may be biologically determined through genetics

Question 12

Weakness (under 24 hrs): Tucker

Answer 12

Recorded large diffs in sleep, duration, time to fall asleep and time spent in sleep stage of ppts spending 11 nights in a controlled lab.

Question 13

Weakness (under 24 hrs): validity

Answer 13

Low ecological validity testing sleep stages in a lab with EEG - not like real life

Question 14

How long does a woman’s reproductive cycle last?

Answer 14

• Lasts about 1 month on average

Question 15

What is a woman’s reproductive cycle regulated by?

Answer 15

• Regulated by hormones which promote ovulation or stimulates the uterus for fertilisation

Question 16

When does ovulation occur?

Answer 16

Roughly half way through the menstrual cycle, when oestrogen levels peak (lasts 16-32 hrs)

Question 17

What happens after ovulation?

Answer 17

progestogen levels increase in preparation for the possible implantation for an embryo in the uterus.

Question 18

What is seasonal affective disorder?

Answer 18

Seasonal variations in mood, during the winter months where there are longer hours of darkness, which increases our melatonin.
- This has a knock on effect of serotonin levels (leads to depression)

Question 19

Strength (over 24 hrs): Russell

Answer 19

• Daily rubbed underarm sweat from one group of women onto the upper lip of a different group of women that were separated.
• 68% of their menstrual cycles synchronised.
• Pheromones (exogenous) of others have an effect on us.

Question 20

Strength (over 24 hrs): RWA

Answer 20

• Light therapy has been created based on research into rhythms
• It has an 80% success, useful in the short term