Applications Flashcards
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
Prepares the body for ‘fight or flight’ response.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
Counterbalances the sympathetic nervous system by slowing breathing and relaxing muscles, preparing us to sleep.
What relaxation techniques can we use to counterbalance the sympathetic nervous system?
Writing down our worries, deep breathing, and relaxing our muscles - techniques that mirror the parasympathetic nervous system’s functions.
What is sleep hygiene?
How well our sleep environment complements falling or staying asleep.
How can we improve our sleep hygiene?
Darker rooms, a good temperature, quiet, absence of electronics and work materials.
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Regulates body functions such as sleep.
What are the effects of damage to the hypothalamus?
As the suprachiasmatic nucleus in within the hypothalamus, damage would result in an absence of endogenous pacemakers. This means we would struggle to sleep, resulting in insomnia.
