Dot Point 4 - Sleep Wake Cycle

Question 0

What are the factors that affect our sleep wake cycle?

Answer 0

Lifestyle
Shift work,
The climate - sleep longer in winter than summer
Good sleeper vs not good sleeper (good sleepers are morrow likely to have a regular sleep routine)

Genetics
Studies suggest that females tend to need more sleep than males

Age

Question 1

What is a sleep wake cycle?

Answer 1

A sleep wake cycle is something that our body completes in a regular circadian rhythm.
It is determines by an internal body clock.

Question 2

How does your sleep wake cycle differ due to age?

Answer 2

Babies sleep 16 hours per day with 50%rem sleep
By 1 yr they sleep 12-13 hrs

3-5 yr olds sleep 10-12 hours

Teenagers need 9 - 10 hours

Adults (from 20 yrs) require 8 hours,

Elderly need only 5-7 hours

Question 3

Describe the common changes in sleep habits that are common during adolescent yrs

Answer 3

Teenagers tend to become night owls with the sleep wake pattern, as their phase shifts to falling asleep later in the evening and waking up. Later in the morning.

Question 4

What causes adolescents phase delay or delayed sleep onset?

Answer 4

Melatonin is a hormone that helps to induce sleep. Durrring adolescents melatonin can be released up to 2 hours later than nomal.

This can lead to delayed sleep phase disorder, which causes extreme difficulty in falling asleep and then waking up,

Question 5

What factors contribute to delayed sleep?

Answer 5

Social (e.g homework demands, after school activities) and biological factors (e.g hormone secretion) have attributed to this shift in cycle.