Chapters 4- Flashcards
Consciousness
Awareness of internal and external stimuli such as feelings of
hunger and pain or detection of light.
Wakefulness
High levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior
Circadian rhythm
Biological rhythm that occurs over approximately 24 hours.
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).
Influences Hypothalamus and petuitary system to control the biological clock. Light sensitive.
What part of the brain releases Melatonin
Melatonin is released by the pineal gland
Jet lag
Symptoms resulting from the mismatch
between our internal circadian cycles and our
environment.
Sleep Dept
Result of insufficiant sleep on a chronic basis
Sleep Rebound
A sleep-deprived individual will tend to take a shorter time to fall
asleep during subsequent opportunities for sleep.
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Irritablility, cognitive impairment,
Sleep needs by age
Children need more sleep then adults
What is sleep?
Sleep is a state marked by relatively low physical activity and a reduced sense of awareness.
Why do we sleep - Adaptive Function (Evolutionary Hypotheses) Theory
Sleep is essential to restore resources that are expended during the day.
- Sleep is an adaptive response to predatory risks, which increase in darkness.
There is little evidence to support these explanations.
Why do we sleep - Cognitive Function theory
Focuses on sleeps importance for cognitive function and memory formation.
- Research shows that sleep deprivation results in disruptions in cognition and
memory deficits.
- These impairments become more severe as the amount of sleep deprivation
increases.
- Slow-wave sleep appears to be essential for effective memory formation.
Benifits of sleep
Maintaining a healthy weight, lowering stress levels, improving mood, increased
motor coordination as well as many benefits related to cognition and memory
formation.
What are Alpha waves?
relatively low
frequency, relatively high
amplitude, synchronized.
What are Theta waves?
low frequency,
low amplitude.
What are delta waves
low frequency,
high amplitude,
desynchronized.
What are beta waves
the waves when you are awake
Stage 1 of sleep
Transitional waves (alpha waves) about 5 minutes
Stage 2
10-15 minutes Theta waves
- Characterized by the appearance of
both sleep spindles and K-
complexes.
Sleep spindles – rapid burst of high
frequency brainwaves.
K-complexes – very high amplitude
pattern of brain activity.
STAGES 3 AND 4 of sleep
Known as slow-wave sleep.
- less then 50% Delta waves.
- Respiration and heart rate slow down further.
How long is a sleep cycle?
Roughly 90 minutes
RAPID EYE MOVEMENT (REM) Stage 5
Rapid eye movements.
- Paralysis of voluntary muscles.
- Dreams.
- Brain waves are similar to those seen during wakefulness.
What is a hypnogram?
A hypnogram is a diagram of the stages of sleep as they occur during a period of
sleep.