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Psychology U3/4 > Chapter 6: Sleep > Flashcards

Chapter 6: Sleep Flashcards

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1
Q

Consciousness

A
  • Awareness of internal / external events: objects, events, sensations, mental experiences and existence
  • Referred to as a psychological construct
  • Divided into NWC and ASC
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2
Q

Normal waking consciousness (NWC)

Ordinary consciousness

A
  • Being awake & aware of internal / external events
  • Not considered one single state; always changing
  • Includes states of consciousness involving ↑ awareness
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3
Q

Altered state of consciousness (ASC)

A
  • Distinctly different from NWC or any waking state in terms of level of awareness and experience
  • Involves changes in wakefulness, self / emotional awareness and perceptions of time / place / surroundings
  • Normal inhibitions or self-control may weaken
  • Can occur naturally or be induced
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4
Q

Naturally occurring vs induced ASCs

A
  • Natural – occurs without the need for any aid
    • E.g. sleep, dreaming or daydreaming
  • Induced – intentionally caused using some kind of aid
    • E.g. meditation, hypnosis, intoxication

NOTE: They are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some naturally occurring states can be induced (e.g. sleep can be induced with sleeping pills that promote drowsiness).

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5
Q

Sleep

A
  • ASC that typically occurs naturally & is characterised by partial or total suspension of conscious awareness
  • Can be described as a psychological construct
  • Made up of REM and NREM sleep
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6
Q

Psychological construct

A
  • ‘Constructed’ concept that describes a psychological activity / pattern that cannot be directly observed
  • E.g. sleep, consciousness, intelligence, personality
  • They are measured indirectly using:
    • Info provided by individuals e.g. self reports
    • Demonstrated behaviour e.g. experiment responses
    • Measurable physiological changes e.g. brainwaves
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7
Q

Sleep episode vs cycle

A
  • Episode – the full duration of sleep
  • Cycle – ~90 minute period during an episode, where we go through stages of REM & NREM sleep, before repeating
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8
Q

Measuring consciousness (indicators)

A
  • Physiological; objective (EEG / EMG / EOG)
    • Heart rate
    • Body temperature
    • Eye and muscle movements
    • Brainwaves
  • Pscyhological; subjective (sleep diaries / vid monitoring)
    • Emotional awareness
    • Self control
    • Perceptual and cognitive distortions
    • Time orientation

NOTE: Subjective measures are influenced by personal feelings or opinions whilst objective measures are not.

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9
Q

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Objective sleep data

A
  • Studying brain 🧠 wave patterns by detecting, amplifying and recording electrical activity in the brain
  • Diff brain waves correlate to diff states of conscioussness
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10
Q

EEG limitations

A
  • Poorly measures neural activity that occurs below the cortex (i.e. outer layer of the brain)
  • Doesn’t provide detailed info about which particular brain structures are activated + their specific functions
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11
Q

Brain waves

A
  • Sponty, rhythmic electrical impulses from brain areas
  • Vary in frequency and amplitude
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12
Q

Frequency and amplitude of brain waves

A
  • Frequency – number of brain waves per second
    • High-freq: faster / more brain waves per second
    • Low-freq: slower / fewer brain waves per second
  • Amplitude – intensity of brain waves
    • High-amp: larger peaks and troughs
    • Low-amp: smaller peaks and troughs
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13
Q

Types of brain waves

A
  • Beta – high freq, low amp
    • Present during intensive mental activity during NWC
  • Alpha – med freq (↓ than beta), med amp (↑ than beta)
    • Common when awake & alert but internally relaxed
    • E.g. sitting down to rest and calmly reflect after completing a mentally stimulating task
    • Possible after a full night of sleep dep
  • Theta – med freq (↑ than delta), med amp (↓ than delta)
    • Common when drowsy or just before waking
    • Possible when awake & engaged in creative activities
    • Possible after a full night of sleep dep
  • Delta – low freq, high amp
    • Associated with dreamless sleep / unconsciousness
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14
Q

Electromyography (EMG)

Objective sleep data

A
  • Studying electrical activity of muscles 💪 during sleep
  • Electrodes attach to skin above the relevant muscles
  • ↑ muscular activity & tone = ↑ alertness (and vice versa)

TIP: E(M)G = muscles.

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15
Q

EMG limitations

A
  • Can’t distinguish sleepwalking from normal movements
  • Can limit movement through (potential) attachment of wires to a machine
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16
Q

Electro-oculargraphy (EOG)

Objective sleep data

A
  • Measuring eye 👁 movements / positions during sleep
  • Electrodes attach to face areas surrounding the eyes
  • Good at distinguishing REM from NREM sleep

TIP: E👁G.

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17
Q

Sleep diaries

Subjective sleep data

A
  • A self record of sleep and waking time activities over a period of time (usually one week / more)
  • Often used with EEG / EMG to support sleep assessments
  • Advantages – non-intrusive, cost effective
  • Limitations – subjective, requires compliance

NOTE: Sleep diaries can involve both qualitative and quantitative data (depending on what questions are involved).

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18
Q

Video monitoring

Subjective sleep data

A
  • Recording observable responses during sleep which can be linked to different sleep stages / types
  • E.g. body position, ‘tossing and turning’ & sleepwalking
  • Advantages – natural (no sleep lab), non-intrusive
  • Limitation – does not explain the behaviour

NOTE: Sleep lab limitation = artificial environment.

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19
Q

Biological rhythms

A
  • Naturally occuring pattern of physiological, psychological or behavioural changes that repeat themselves cyclically
  • E.g. menstruation and the sleep–wake cycle
  • Divided into circadian and ultradian rhythms
20
Q

Biological clock

A
  • Innate timing that regulates biological rhythms
  • Functioning is genetically determined & occurs at a cellular level
  • E.g. the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
21
Q

Circadian rhythm

A
  • Physiological, psychological or behavioural changes that occur as part of a cycle with a duration of ~24 hours
  • E.g. the sleep–wake cycle
22
Q

Endogenous vs exogenous

A
  • Endogenous – originating within an organism
    • E.g. sleep–wake cycle
  • Exogenous – originating outside an organism
    • E.g. external cues like light / darkness
23
Q

Ultradian rhythm

A
  • Physiological, psychological or behavioural changes that occur as part of a cycle shorter than 24 hours
  • E.g. sleep cycle (~90 min), heartbeat and respiration
24
Q

Factors that indicate that a biological rhythm is a circadian rhythm

A
  • Duration of ~24 hrs that thereby repeats every 24 hrs
  • Persists in the absence of external cues
  • Can be adjusted (entrained) to match external cues
25
Q

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

A
  • Biological clock in the hypothalamus that regulates the timing & activity of the sleep–wake cycle
  • Responds to light and communicates with the pineal gland to control melatonin production
  • Can operate independently but is also influenced by zeitgebers

NOTE: The SCN, itself, does NOT sense light.

26
Q

Melatonin

A
  • Hormone secreted by pineal gland in hypothalamus
  • Influences alertness, drowsiness & sleep-wake cycle
  • ↓ light = more melatonin (induces drowsiness & sleep)
  • ↑ light = less melatonin (more alert)

NOTE: Artificial light can be bright enough to delay melatonin release.

27
Q

How is melatonin released?

A
  • Light stimulates neurons in the eyes (retina) which send neural messages to the SCN via the optic nerve
  • When no / low light is detected, the SCN sends excitatory neural messages to the pineal gland (results in the production and release of melatonin through bloodstream)
  • When light is detected, the SCN sends inhibitory messages to the pineal gland (results in suppression of melatonin)
28
Q

Negative feedback loop (melatonin)

A
  • Allows the levels of melatonin in blood to be monitored by SCN
29
Q

Positive and negative impacts of light on the regulation of the SWC

A
30
Q

Synthetic melatonin

A
  • Used to treat sleep disorders e.g. sleep onset insomnia
  • Generally safe for short-term use
  • Low likelihood of becoming dependent on its use
31
Q

Hypnogram

Sleep graph

A
  • Shows sleep types & stages in relation to time
  • Shows that NREM & REM sleep alternate in a cyclical way
32
Q

Features of a healthy young adult’s sleep that can be seen in a hypnogram

A
  • Alternating sequence of NREM and REM sleep periods
  • N3 periods are followed by a climb back to REM
  • REM progressively lengthens (dominant in 2nd half)
  • Shifting from light to deep sleep after sleep onset
  • Cycles last ~90 mins with the correct no. cycles (~4-5)
  • More deep sleep in the first half
33
Q

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep

A
  • Makes up about 75–80% of our total sleep time
  • Involves 3 stages (sleep progressively becomes deeper)
  • Brain not as active compared to during REM sleep / NWC
  • Dominant in the first half of sleep
34
Q

Stages of NREM sleep

A
  • N1 – relatively light sleep (when sleep begins in 1st cycle)
    • ↓ 🫀 and 🫁 rate, body temp and muscle tension
    • Slow, rolling 👁 movements, alpha-theta waves
    • Involuntary muscle twitches (hypnic jerks)
    • Low arousal threshold; easy to wake
  • N2 – light / moderate sleep (gradually becomes deeper)
    • Continued ↓ 🫀 & 🫁 rate, temp, muscle tension
    • 👁 movements stop, theta-delta waves present
    • Slightly ↑ arousal threshold but still easy to wake
    • Brief bursts of electrical activity (sleep spindles)
    • Makes up of most of NREM sleep
  • N3 – deep sleep (low wave / delta sleep)
    • 🫀 and 🫁 rate slow to their lowest levels
    • Muscles are fully relaxed; we barely move
    • No 👁 movements, delta waves present
    • Highest arousal threshold; difficult to wake
    • Dominant in the first half of sleep
35
Q

Purpose of light / moderate sleep

A
  • About half of a total sleep episode is spent in N2
  • Evolutionary purpose for safety
  • Allows us to wake in response to potential threats
36
Q

Sleep onset and latency

A
  • Onset – transition period from being awake to asleep
  • Latency – amount of time it takes to transition from being awake to being asleep
37
Q

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

Paradoxical sleep

A
  • Makes up about 20-25% of our total sleep time
  • Involves spontaneous bursts of REM (eyeballs move fast beneath closed eyelids in jerky, coordinated movements)
  • Internal bodily functions are more active compared to NREM (i.e. ↑ and more irregular 🫀 and 🫁 rate,↑ BP, etc.)
  • Yet, externally, the body appears calm and inactive
  • Dominant in the second half of sleep
  • Arousal threshold similar to N2 / N3
38
Q

REM vs NREM dreams

A
  • REM
    • When most dreaming occurs
    • Tend to follow a narrative structure (realistic/fantasy)
  • NREM
    • Can be as bizarre as REM dreams
    • Tend to be shorter, less frequent & less structured
    • Less vivid and less likely to be recalled
39
Q

Measuring REM and NREM sleep

A
  • REM Sleep
    • EEG – beta-like waves (sawtooth pattern)
    • EOG – high activity (jerky, coordinated movements)
    • EMG – paralysis (no movement)
  • NREM Sleep
    • EEG – theta-delta waves (diff between N1, N2, N3)
    • EOG – slow, rolling movements / none
    • EMG – some movement
40
Q

Age-related changes in sleep

A
  • Total time spent asleep gradually ↓ as we age
  • Proportion of REM sleep ↓ significantly during the first 2 years and then remains relatively stable
  • Proportion of NREM sleep ↓ through to old age
41
Q

Why do we sleep?

A
  • Restoration theory – sleep replenishes bodily resources
  • REM replenishes the mind, NREM replenishes the body
  • Growth hormone released during sleep (aids physical dev)
42
Q

Factors that contribute to inadequate amounts of sleep in adolescence

A
  • Poor sleep habits, hormonal changes, exposure to blue light and busy schedules
  • Persistently getting poor quality / insufficient amounts of sleep can result in sleep dept (body & brain functions deteriorate)
43
Q

Sleep onset for newborns and infants

A
  • At birth – sleep onset begins at REM (any time; day/night)
    • 50% of sleep is REM and sleep duration is irregular
    • Because the circadian rhythm has yet to fully develop or sync with external cues (i.e. light / dark)
  • By 3 months – sleep onset begins at NREM
    • Circadian rhythm kicks in
    • Melatonin production becomes more cyclical
44
Q

Why infants need a lot of sleep

A
45
Q

Differences between the sleep of infants and healthy adults

A
  • Infants sleep for around 12-14 hours a day whereas adults sleep for around 6-7 hours a day
  • Infants’ sleep consists of ~50% REM and 50% NREM, whereas an adult would have ~20% REM and 80% NREM
  • Infants tend to sleep in multiple blocks of time and wake up frequently, whereas adults generally have one major sleep episode
  • Infants’ sleep onset can begin at REM, whereas adults’ sleep onset begins at NREM

Psychology U3/4 (11 decks)

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