chapter 7 Flashcards

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1
Q

consciousness

A

the awareness of your own internal mental processes, including your thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions, and your awareness of the external world around you.

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2
Q

what is consciousness?

A
  • Consciousness is unique, subjective and constantly changing, and can be thought of as what information takes possession of your mind.

e.g. one moment you may be aware of the words that you are reading on this page, then you realise you have been daydreaming about having your favourite dinner tonight, then the contents of your consciousness may shift to your friend who is sitting next to you and asking you a question

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3
Q

psychological construct

A

-a concept that cannot be objectively observed or measured directly through the collection of data, but is widely understood to exist.

-Consciousness is considered a psychological construct because it cannot be objectively observed or measured through the collection of data, but it is widely understood to exist.
-it is impossible to precisely know someone else’s conscious experience

-There is no one particular brain structure in which our consciousness resides
-we can only indirectly measure it through qualities that are more easily assessed, such as physiological changes or observable behaviours, or through self-report methods.

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4
Q

normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness

A

-our consciousness is continuously shifting through different levels of awareness. (it doesn’t turn off or on)
-e.g. you may be in a state of focused attention during a maths test, a state of lethargy at the end of the school day, a daydreaming state on the bus ride home, and then finally a state of sleep with periods of dreaming

-The various states of consciousness that we experience are broadly categorised into normal waking consciousness and altered state of consciousness.

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5
Q

normal waking consciousness

A

-a state associated with being aware of our internal and external environments
-We experience normal waking consciousness in everyday activities when we are awake and have a regular level of awareness.

-we can manage out thoughts and behaviour
-our thoughts and perceptions are organised and clear
SUCH AS: such as when reading a book, chatting with a friend or having dinner with our family.

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6
Q

altered state of consciousness

A

-any state that differs in awareness when compared to normal waking consciousness
-In altered states of consciousness, our levels of awareness are lower or higher
than in normal waking consciousness.

-e.g. A child daydreaming on a long car ride or an elite tennis player serving a winning point are both in an altered state of consciousness
-There is also a change in mental processing where perceptions or thinking may be altered

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7
Q

naturally occurring altered state of consciousness

induced altered state of consciousness

A

N.O.A.S.O.C:
-an altered state of consciousness that occurs without any external Influence

I.A.S.O.C:
-an altered state of consciousness that has been brought about on purpose.

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8
Q

sleep

A

-a naturally occurring and reversible altered state of consciousness, characterised by a reduction in awareness and responsiveness to external surroundings

-During sleep, there is unique brain wave activity and other distinguishable physiological changes.
-These changes help to differentiate sleep from other altered states of consciousness that might result from brain injury or taking substances.
-sleep may also be considered a psychological construct

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9
Q

over the course of the night you will experience two different types of sleep:

A
  1. rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
  2. non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep

During an eight-hour sleep episode, the average person will experience about five sleep cycles, each lasting approximately 90 minutes and featuring distinguishable repetitive patterns of REM and NREM sleep

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10
Q

NON-RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (NREM) SLEEP

A

-a type of sleep characterised by a progressive decline in physiological activity
-NREM sleep consists of three distinct stages and takes up around 80% of a sleep episode in people of school age and older.
- It is thought that our body is repairing itself during NREM sleep.

-NREM Stage 1 (N1)
-NREM Stage 2 (N2)
-NREM stage 3 (N3)

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11
Q

NREM Stage 1 (N1)

A
  • a transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep.
    -It is considered to be light sleep; physiological responses begin to slow down, including brain activity, heart rate and body temperature.
    -the period when a person ‘dozes off’ to sleep and when they may most easily be woken up.
    -As a sleep episode progresses, a person may not experience much more time
    in N1.
    -If they are not disturbed for a couple of minutes in N1, a person quickly moves into NREM Stage 2 (N2).
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12
Q

NREM Stage 2 (N2)

A
  • is also considered light sleep, during which physiological responses continue to slow down.
    -A person still wakes relatively easily during N2; however, bursts of brain activity help resist being woken by environmental stimuli such as noises.
    -N2 is the stage of sleep that is experienced the most throughout a sleep episode.
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13
Q

NREM Stage 3 (N3)

A
  • is considered to be deep sleep, during which physiological responses are at their slowest and a person is most difficult to wake up
    -N3 is known as ‘slow-wave sleep’ due to brain activity being at its slowest.
    -During a sleep episode, N3 is experienced more in the first half of the night than in the second half of the night.
    -. As a sleep episode progresses, a person
    experiences less N3 sleep, and may not experience it at all in the last one or two sleep cycles of a typical night.
    -People of different ages spend different
    amounts of time in N3
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14
Q

RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (REM) SLEEP

A

-a type of sleep characterised by quick darting of the eyes behind closed eyelids and an increase in physiological activity.

-A period of REM occurs at the end of each sleep cycle, and these periods get longer and closer together as the sleep episode progresses, which means you have
more REM in the second half of sleep than in the first half.
-REM sleep also differs markedly across different ages, but typically takes up 20% of a sleep episode in people aged around 5 years and older.
-If you have less sleep than normal, you may experience more REM sleep when you next sleep.
-It is thought that our mind is repairing itself during REM sleep.

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15
Q

during REM sleep:

A

-During REM sleep, brain activity resembles wakefulness, and heart rate and breathing rate increase.
-Voluntary muscles are seemingly paralysed and twitch only intermittently.
-The most vivid and memorable dreams occur during REM sleep.

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16
Q

hypnogram

A

-a line graph that represents the stages of sleep plotted against time

  • displays the sleep architecture or patterns of a sleep episode, with a typical night’s sleep for an adult consisting of five sleep cycles featuring REM and NREM sleep.
    -time on x-axis (hours of sleep), types of sleep y-axis (wakefulness at the top -REM- and deepest sleep at the bottom-N3)
    -shows how a person’s sleep progresses through several sleep cycles consisting of REM sleep and the three stages of NREM sleep, over the course of a night.
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17
Q

measuring sleep

A

These techniques can allow a person to detect and record features such as:
-the onset of sleep
-sleep duration
-sleep quality
-awakenings during sleep
-any body movements
-wake-up time.

This data is useful for diagnosing sleep disorders, tracking how a person’s sleep is affected by various factors such as new medication, or even improving the performance of athletes

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18
Q

the different techniques for measuring sleep

A

-electroencephalography
-electromyography
-electro-oculography
-sleep diaries
-video monitoring.

-These techniques are often combined in a kind of sleep study called polysomnography. (a multi-parameter
sleep study used as a diagnostic tool in sleep medicine)

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19
Q
  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)
A

-a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain

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20
Q
  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)

-when undertaking an electroencephalogram:

A

-electrodes are attached to a person’s scalp or through a cap or headset
-The electrodes detect the synchronised electrical impulses of many neurons communicating together just beneath the scalp at the surface of the cortex.
-Wires connected to the electrodes transmit this data to an instrument (electroencephalograph) that amplifies the signals to a readable level and then sends them to a computer, where they are recorded as brain wave patterns and
interpreted by a specialist

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21
Q

EEG CONTINUED

A

-the brain wave recordings produced by an EEG are summaries of the activity of thousands of neurons in the area (the electrical impulse of one neuron is not strong enough to be detected by an EEG)

-Different types and stages of sleep produce different brain waves, and EEGs may be used to identify a particular stage or abnormal brain activity that differs from what would usually be expected.
-e.g. abnormal brain activity can indicate a sleep disorder.

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22
Q
  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)

brain waves:

A

-There are several main types of brain waves: beta, alpha, theta and delta, which are characterised by specific patterns of activity and occur at different times during wake and sleep.

-The brain wave patterns differ in terms of their frequency and amplitude.

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23
Q
  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)

Brain waves: frequency

A

-The frequency of a brain wave indicates the speed of the brain waves or how much activity is occurring every second.
- Frequency can be visually identified in a brain wave recording according to how close together the waves are and the number of times the wave repeats in a 1-second interval.
-Slower-frequency brain waves are prevalent when we are tired, relaxed or asleep.
-Faster-frequency brain waves are prevalent when we are awake and alert

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24
Q
  1. Electroencephalography (EEG)

Brain waves: amplitude

A

-The amplitude of a brain wave indicates the intensity or strength of the brain wave, or how many neurons are firing at the same time together.
- can be visually identified in a brain wave recording as the height of the brain waves or the distance between the peaks and troughs
-Higher peaks and lower troughs indicate more synchronised brain activity from multiple neurons working on a similar task .e.g. sleep
-lower peaks and troughs indicate groups of neurons are working on different tasks .e.g. driving a car.

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25
Q

brain waves link to sleep (NREM & REM)

A

-The brain wave types relate to the person’s level of awareness or state of consciousness, and a general pattern across the four brain wave types shows that as the frequency of a brain wave decreases, the amplitude increases.

  • As a person drifts into the deeper sleep stages of a sleep cycle, their brain wave activity decreases, as indicated by progression through the four brain wave types.
    The increase in brain activity during REM sleep is indicated by faster brain wave patterns
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26
Q

BRAIN WAVE - FREQUENCY AND AMPLITUDE - STATE

-beta 😂
-alpha 😊

A

BETA:
frequency: highest
amplitude: lowest
STATE: * Normal waking consciousness
* Awake, alert and focused
* High environmental stimulation
* Brain working on several things at once

ALPHA:
frequency: high
amplitude: low
STATE: * Lower alertness
* Awake but relaxed
* Quiet and calm
* Drowsy
* Eyes closed
* Low environmental stimulation

27
Q

BRAIN WAVE - FREQUENCY AND AMPLITUDE - STATE

-theta 😑
-delta 😴

A

THETA:
frequency: low
amplitude: high
STATE: * Low alertness
* Light sleep
* Senses withdrawn from the external environment
* Deep meditation

DELTA:
frequency: lowest
amplitude: highest
STATE: * Lowest alertness
* Deep N3 sleep
* Dreamless sleep

28
Q
  1. electromyography (EMG)
A

-that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the skeletal muscles

29
Q
  1. electromyography (EMG)

when undertaking an electromyogram as part of a sleep study:

A

-electrodes are attached to the surface of the skin, typically around the jaw and sometimes the legs or other body parts.
-The output of an EMG is recorded wave patterns similar to an EEG; however, we don’t refer to the waves with the same names

30
Q

EMG continued:

A

-An EMG may be used during a sleep study to measure muscle tension, which can indicate the stages and type of sleep the person is experiencing.
-more muscle tension indicates greater alertness, so as a person drifts into deeper sleep, muscle movement decreases.
-no muscle movement is detected during REM sleep

-An EMG can also detect abnormal movements during sleep, such as tossing and turning, teeth grinding or leg movements, which may indicate a sleep disorder such as periodic limb movement disorder or sleep bruxism.

31
Q
  1. electro-oculography (EOG)
A

-a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the muscles controlling the eyes

32
Q
  1. electro-oculography (EOG)

when undertaking an electro-oculogram during a sleep study:

A

-electrodes are attached to the surface of the skin around the sides of each eye
-The output of an EOG is recorded wave patterns similar to an EEG.

33
Q

EOG continued:

A

-An EOG may be used during a sleep study to determine the onset of sleep as well as when the stages and types of sleep occur.
-As you drift into deeper sleep, your eye movement decreases and slows down, and when you experience REM sleep, your eye movement increases.

34
Q
  1. sleep diaries
A

-a subjective self-report tool used by a person to track their own sleep and wake patterns

-Before a diagnosis of a sleep disorder can be made, people who report having trouble
sleeping often complete an assessment of their typical sleep, including the nature of their sleep, severity of symptoms and investigation into possible causes.
-Sleep diaries aim to identify any patterns or habits that may be leading to the sleep trouble
-they can provide the sleep specialist with a personal and subjective account of the
quantity and quality of sleep being experienced.

35
Q
  1. sleep diaries

types and formats of sleep diaries

A

-There are many types and formats of sleep diaries, but typically they include spaces to record the time of sleep onset, waking time, how the person felt upon waking and any disturbances to sleep such as periods of waking, or unusual behaviours such as sleep walking or night terrors.
-They also may include space to track anything else that could be affecting a person’s sleep patterns (such as caffeine intake over the day, any naps taken and exercise completed.)
-Usually the person records their sleep in a sleep diary for a couple of weeks.

36
Q
  1. sleep diaries

assessment of sleep diaries:

A

-Disturbed sleep may be the cause or consequence of a mental health disorder
-so once subjective data has been collected through a sleep diary, a sleep specialist can interpret it and make further assessments.
-A more accurate assessment can be made if information from the sleep diary is combined with information from objective measures such as physiological changes determined by an EEG, EOG or EMG.

36
Q

5 video monitoring

A
  • a sleep study tool used to collect
    qualitative visual and audio information about a person’s sleep.
    -is used alongside EEGs, EOGs and
    EMGs, and can validate the data collected by these devices to show exactly what activity is occurring while a person is asleep (such as their sleeping positions, specific movements, laboured breathing, sleep talking or teeth grinding)
37
Q

why video monitoring is valuable

A
  • Video monitoring can be a valuable
    tool to use with children who have sleep problems and may have trouble verbalising their experience or who are too young to complete a sleep diary.
    -The additional information provided by video monitoring alongside physiological measures and sleep diaries can help diagnosise sleep disorders.
38
Q

regulating sleep-wake patterns

A

The regular patterns of the sleep–wake cycle can be explained by the precise functioning
of several biological mechanisms including:
-the circadian rhythm
-ultradian rhythms
-the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain
-the hormone melatonin.

39
Q

circadian rhythms

A

-biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a 24-hour period

-Circadian rhythms allow for optimised functioning at certain time points over the course of 24 hours.
-This is done by controlling our sleep–wake cycle, release of hormones and regulation of body temperature.
-circadian rhythms follow a 24-hour period, with most people sleeping at night and being awake and active during the day
-The circadian rhythm develops and undergoes changes over the course of the lifespan.

40
Q

ultradian rhythms

A

-biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a period of less than 24 hours

-Ultradian rhythms may last from a few minutes to a few hours, allowing them to cycle repeatedly over the course of a day.

BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT FOLLOW AN ULTRADAIN RHYTHM INCLUDE:
heart rate, digestion, blood pressure, some hormone secretion and appetite.

41
Q

The human sleep–wake cycle runs on a 24-hour circadian rhythm. Each 90-minute sleep cycle within a sleep episode is an ultradian rhythm.

A

-Within a typical 8-hour sleep episode, a person will experience around five sleep cycles, each lasting around 90 minutes and cycling through a repetitive and reasonably predictable pattern of REM and NREM sleep.
-Sleep cycles tend to increase in length over the course of a sleep episode, with a general pattern of increased REM sleep and decreased N3 sleep as we progress through each cycle.

42
Q

ultradian rhythms:

ZEITGEBERS

A

-an environmental cue such as light, temperature and eating patterns that can synchronise and regulate the body’s circadian rhythm

-environmental time cues (external cues)
-e.g. day and night / light and dark

-a sleep episode is the full duration of time spent asleep e.g. 6 hours a night

43
Q

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

A

-a master body clock in the hypothalamus that regulates body activities to a daily schedule of sleep and wakefulness

  • At specific times in a 24-hour day, the suprachiasmatic nucleus sends signals to regulate various
    activities in the body and keep it functioning to a daily schedule of sleep and wakefulness.
44
Q

SCN cont

A

-can function independently to maintain an approximately 24-hour cycle because of a precise feedback loop of gene expression and inhibition.
-it is influenced by external cues (zeitgebers) such as exercise, social activity, eating patterns and temperature.
- the suprachiasmatic nucleus s is particularly sensitive to light, and this is why the human circadian rhythm is so closely connected to day and night.

45
Q

melatonin

A

-a hormone that induces drowsiness and decreases cell activity

-At night-time when the eyes detect no light, the suprachiasmatic nucleus sends a signal to the pineal gland in the human brain.
-This results in the pineal gland
releasing melatonin, a hormone that induces drowsiness.
-The increased release of melatonin by the pineal gland at nighttime induces sleepiness and decreases cell activity.
-This process ensures that our sleep is connected to night-time.

46
Q

melatonin cont.

A

-During the day when the eyes detect more light, the suprachiasmatic nucleus sends inhibitory messages to
the pineal gland, resulting in the inhibition of melatonin release by the pineal gland.
-Less melatonin release by the pineal gland increases cell activity in the body.
-The result is that a person does not feel drowsy, and therefore wakefulness is promoted during the day.

This process allows the circadian rhythm to be synchronised with the outside world and creates a stable cycle that enables you to feel awake during the day and fall asleep at night.

47
Q

circadian rhythm
-sleep-wake cycle

A

-With light cues from the Sun reliably cycling every 24 hours, the circadian rhythm can undergo daily resetting that keeps a person’s sleep–wake cycle aligned to a 24-hour day.
-However, if these light cues are absent, the circadian rhythm tends to run free and can cycle for a little longer than 24 hours.

48
Q

cortisol

A

-plays a role in the sleep-wake cycle
-is a hormone responsible for increasing alertness and maintaining heightened arousal
-it regulates the sleep-wake cycle as it is released by the adrenal glands in the morning to promote wakefulness and alertness.

49
Q

suprachiasmatic nucleus process

A
  1. the SCN receives external cues. the SCN also receives internal cues.
  2. after receiving both internal and external cues, the SCN sends neural messages (signals) to the pineal gland to produce and release melatonin.
  3. the pineal gland releases melatonin into the blood stream, which promotes feelings of calm and relaxation, therefore promoting sleep.
50
Q

sleep across the lifespan

A

-Research has determined that sleep is necessary for repair and restoration of the body and mind, including repairing tissues, replenishing neurotransmitters and removing waste products.
-Sleep serves an adaptive function by giving us time to conserve energy and remain safe during times of potential danger, such as night-time for humans.
- sleep allows for information acquired throughout the day to be processed and consolidated,
aiding in memory and preparing us for the new day to come.

-The need for sleep and the patterns of sleep change as a person ages.
-Sleep also varies among individual people because of a wide range of biological, psychological or social reasons.

51
Q

As a person ages through the life span, their need for, and experience of, sleep changes in the following ways:

A
  • The total amount of sleep
    decreases.
  • The proportion of REM sleep
    decreases significantly from birth
    until 2 years old.
  • The amount of N3 sleep decreases, replaced mostly by
    N2 sleep.
  • A circadian phase delay occurs
    during adolescence (preference for going to sleep later).
  • After adolescence, a shift to a circadian phase advance occurs (preference for going to sleep earlier).
  • Awakenings during sleep increase from adulthood to old age.
  • Sleep efficiency (the percentage of the time in bed that is spent asleep) reduces.
52
Q

Outline of circadian rhythm changes across the life span

NEWBORN
INFANT

A

NEWBORN:
-Newborns do not have an established circadian rhythm.
-Their sleeping patterns are erratic, with their sleep distributed across the full 24-hour day.

INFANT:
-From about 4 months, an infant’s sleep becomes more nocturnal.
-As they continue to develop and
experience rapid physiological changes, children begin to have a fairly consistent circadian rhythm.

53
Q

Outline of circadian rhythm changes across the life span

ADOLESCENT
ADULT

A

ADOLESCENT:
-Adolescents experience a shift in their circadian rhythm; they may not feel tired until later in the evening.
-This can result in a delayed sleep phase syndrome.

ADULT:
-After adolescence, the circadian
rhythm returns to more normal timing, and most healthy adults experience a consistent circadian rhythm if they are following a regular routine with relatively stable bedtimes and wake times.

54
Q

Outline of circadian rhythm changes across the life span

OLDER ADULT

A

-Older adults may prefer an earlier bedtime and therefore an earlier waking in the morning.

55
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

NEWBORN (0-3 MONTHS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-14-17 hours
-REM 50%, NREM 50%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Newborns require the highest amount of total sleep for rapid growth and development.
- Newborns experience the highest proportion of REM
sleep, as REM sleep may boost brain growth and development, and help consolidate learning and
memory.
-Muscle twitches that occur during periods of complete relaxation and immobility in REM sleep
may help newborns develop their sensorimotor system,
coordinating sensory experiences (e.g. seeing, hearing)
with motor actions (e.g. reaching, touching).

56
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

INFANT (4-11 MONTHS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-12-16 hours
-REM 30-40%, NREM 60-70%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Infants begin to sleep for longer periods at a time as their circadian rhythm develops a more regular sleep pattern following day–night cycles.

57
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

TODDLER (1-2 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-11-14 hours
-REM 25-30%, NREM 70-75%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-By the time a person is a toddler, the proportion of REM sleep has had its greatest decline, and only decreases a small amount over the rest of the life span.

58
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

PRESCHOOLER (3-5 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-10–13 hours
-REM 25%, NREM 75%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-During the preschool years, the timing of the circadian rhythm may advance, and sleep shifts to earlier in the evening as children begin to drop their daytime naps.

59
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN (6-13 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
- 9–11 hours
-REM 20%, NREM 80%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-From the early to late childhood years, the timing of the circadian rhythm gradually delays, and sleep shifts to later in the evening.

60
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

ADOLESCENT (14-17 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-8–10 hours
-REM 20%, NREM 80%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Adolescents experience a delay in the circadian rhythm because of a hormonally determined shift in melatonin release to 1–2 hours later than other age groups.
-This causes a preference for a later bedtime, resulting in fewer hours of sleep than needed because of early waking for school.
-In this age group, increasing school-related requirements, increasing independence and easy access to constant
entertainment and social networks also contribute to delayed bedtime.

61
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

YOUNG ADULT (18-25 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-7–9 hours
-REM 20%, NREM 80%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Sleep patterns in young adults can alter because of psychosocial factors (tertiary study, work
requirements, social schedules and increased independence).
-A circadian phase advance begins towards the end of this stage, resulting in a preference for earlier sleep time.
-Melatonin concentrations also begin to decline after puberty.

62
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

ADULT (26-64 YEARS)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-7–9 hours
-REM 20%, NREM 80%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Adult sleep patterns can alter as a result of lifestyle changes (caring for infants and children,
changing work and social requirements, development
of health problems and changing family dynamics like balancing work with parenthood).
- Later in this stage, N3 sleep begins to decline and is replaced by N2 sleep.
-Melatonin concentrations continue to decline over adulthood.

63
Q

Differences in, and explanations for, sleep across a person’s life span

(OLDER ADULT ≥65 years)

A

Total recommended hours of sleep and typical proportion of REM and NREM:
-7–8 hours
-REM 18–20%, NREM 80–82%

EXPLANATIONS FOR SLEEP PATTERNS:
-Sleep patterns in older adults can alter because of lifestyle changes (retirement, increased health issues including sleep disorders, physical inactivity,
decreased social interactions, increased medication use, change of living arrangements and bereavement).
-A circadian phase advance occurs, and less sleep may be achieved if a person resists the body’s preference for an earlier bedtime and earlier awakening.
- Amount of N3 sleep continues to decline and may not occur at all, replaced with N2 sleep.
-During older adulthood there is an increase in sleep latency (the time taken to fall asleep) and multiple awakenings occur.
- Melatonin concentrations continue to decline.
- The shorter total sleep in this stage may be due to the impaired ability to obtain sleep, rather than a reduced need for sleep