6.7: Endogenous pacemakers and the sleep/wake cycle

Question 1

Sam is a police officer. She has just started working the night shift and after a week, she finds that she has difficulty sleeping during the day and is becoming tense and irritable. Sam is also worried that she is less alert during the night shift itself.

Using your knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, explain Sam’s experiences (4 marks)

Answer 1

Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors

Question 2

Sam is a police officer. She has just started working the night shift and after a week, she finds that she has difficulty sleeping during the day and is becoming tense and irritable. Sam is also worried that she is less alert during the night shift itself.

Using your knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, explain Sam’s experiences (4 marks).
Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors, for example what?

Answer 2

Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors, for example light

Question 3

Sam is a police officer. She has just started working the night shift and after a week, she finds that she has difficulty sleeping during the day and is becoming tense and irritable. Sam is also worried that she is less alert during the night shift itself.

Using your knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, explain Sam’s experiences (4 marks).
Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors, for example light.
What does moving to the night shift mean?

Answer 3

Moving to the night shift means that pacemakers try to impose the inbuilt rhythm of sleep

Question 4

Sam is a police officer. She has just started working the night shift and after a week, she finds that she has difficulty sleeping during the day and is becoming tense and irritable. Sam is also worried that she is less alert during the night shift itself.

Using your knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, explain Sam’s experiences (4 marks).
Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors, for example light.
Moving to the night shift means that pacemakers try to impose the inbuilt rhythm of sleep, but are now what?

Answer 4

Moving to the night shift means that pacemakers try to impose the inbuilt rhythm of sleep, but are now out of synchrony with the zeitgeber of light

Question 5

Sam is a police officer. She has just started working the night shift and after a week, she finds that she has difficulty sleeping during the day and is becoming tense and irritable. Sam is also worried that she is less alert during the night shift itself.

Using your knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, explain Sam’s experiences (4 marks).
Endogenous pacemakers are internal biological rhythms and exogenous zeitgebers are external factors, for example light.
Moving to the night shift means that pacemakers try to impose the inbuilt rhythm of sleep, but are now out of synchrony with the zeitgeber of light.
What has disruption of biological rhythms been shown to lead to?

Answer 5

Disruption of biological rhythms has been shown to lead to disrupted sleep patterns, increased anxiety and decreased alertness and vigilance