Exam 4 Flashcards
consciousness
awareness, sensations, thoughts, and feelings at any given moment (on a continuum)
selective attention
focusing on one specific thing while ignoring others by choice
inattentional blindness
not noticing the existence of something because you are focused on something else
change blindness
not noticing the change of something in the environment because you are focused on something else
circadian rhythm
biological clock that determines when you feel most alert vs sleep (different for everyone)
part of the brain circadian rhythm is controlled by
hypothalamus and pineal gland
function of melatonin
makes us feel sleepy
how melatonin is triggered/suppressed
light hits cones and rods in eyes triggers suprachiasmatic nucleus triggers pineal gland triggers suppression of melatonin (so you are less sleepy in the light)
order of brainwaves as seen on eeg from most active (rapid short waves) to deep sleep (long waves)
beta, alpha, theta, delta
brainwaves associated with each sleep stage
NREM 1 - beta (attentive awake) turn to alpha (inattentive awake)
NREM 2 - theta (also sleep spindles)
NREM 3 - delta (all neurons fire synchronously)
REM - similar to beta
stage NREM 1
5-10 minutes - easily woken, very light sleep
hypnogogic state
hypnic jerks and flashes of color that may occur as you are falling asleep (NREM 1)
stage NREM 2
20 minutes - brain registers noise but doesn’t wake, still light sleep but harder to wake than NREM 1
sleep spindles
short bursts of brain activity (NREM 2)
stage NREM 3
30 minutes - very deep sleep and groggy if woken
stage REM (rapid eye movement)
25% total sleep time but amount in each cycle varies - “paradoxical sleep” with lots of brain activity and vivid dreams but body paralyzed and won’t remember unless woken up, elevated breathing and HR
sleep cycle length
90 minutes - 4-6 cycles each night
4 theories of why we sleep
sleep is restorative, sleep is protective, sleep rebuilds memories, and sleep supports growth
sleep is restorative theory
chance to recharge and repair damaged tissues (evidence: animals that burn more calories need more sleep)
sleep is protective theory
we are more vulnerable at night so have evolved to be hidden and asleep during that time
sleep rebuilds memories theory
neural connections we don’t use a pruned and memories are consolidated (evidence: memory improves after sleep)
sleep supports growth theory
pituitary gland releases growth hormone during sleep (evidence: kids need more sleep than adults)
insomnia
recurring inability to fall asleep or stay asleep most nights per week for 3-4 weeks caused by stress, drugs, health, depression, or random
solutions - no sleeping pills, rigid sleep schedule, no naps, frequent exercise, reduced screen time
narcolepsy
sudden sleep attacks with no known cause
solutions - frequent naps, simulants
nightmares
very vivid anxiety-provoking dreams during REM sleep (most common in kids)