Sleep

Question 1

Circadian Rhythm​

Answer 1

Circadian rhythm refers to the changes in bodily functions or activities that occur as part of a biological cycle with a duration of about 24 hours.​

Question 2

Ultradian Rhythm​

Answer 2

Ultradian rhythm refers to changes in bodily functions or activities that occur as part of cycle shorter than 24 hours.

Question 3

Primary sleep disorder:

Answer 3

a sleep disorder that cannot be attributed to another condition such as another sleep disorder, a mental disorder or medical problem, or use of a substance such as a legal or illegal drug.

Question 4

Secondary sleep disorder:

Answer 4

involves a prominent sleep problem that is a by-product of or results from another condition, or use of a substance.

Question 5

Circadian Phase Disorders​

Answer 5

Circadian rhythm phase disorders are a group of sleep disorders involving sleep disruption that is primarily due to a mismatch between an individual’s normal sleep–wake pattern and the sleep-wake pattern that is desired or required. ​

Question 6

Causes of Circadian Phase Disorder

Answer 6

• a mismatch between an individual’s sleep–wake cycle and the sleep–wake schedule required by their school, work or social schedule such as shift work​
• a mismatch between an individual’s sleep–wake cycle and the day–night cycle of their physical environment such as jet lag​

Question 7

Sleep-Wake Cycle Shift​

Answer 7

This is associated with puberty during adolescence. ​

During adolescence (13-19 years), the sleep–wake cycle moves back by about 1 to 2 hours (delayed) as the hormone melatonin (sleep hormone) is released 1 to 2 hours later meaning that sleep onset peaks later in the 24 hour cycle. Therefore, the entire sleep–wake cycle is delayed by 1–2 hours in relation to the onset of sleep and consequently the wake-up time

Question 8

Restoration Theory​

Answer 8

This theory proposes that sleep has a restorative function. For example, opportunity to support recovery of the body including the brain to full waking capacity.

Question 9

Evolutionary Theory​

Answer 9

This theory proposes that sleep enhances survival of a species by protecting its members through making them inactive during the part of the day when it is riskiest or most dangerous to move about

Question 10

Effects of Sleep Deprivation​

Answer 10

• Affective: refers to the fact that people tend to have amplified emotional responses including changes in emotional state, mood and ability to control emotions after sleep loss.​
• Behavioural: refers to changes in our actions or the way we function after sleep loss. ​
• Cognitive: refers to changes in mental processes such as attention, logical thinking, learning, memory after just a small amount of sleep loss​

Question 11

Effects on Behavioural Functioning​

Answer 11

• Sleep disturbances​
• Slower reaction time and speed on tasks.​
• Reduced motor coordination, particularly eye–hand coordination​

Question 12

Effects on Affective Functioning​

Answer 12

• Amplified emotional responses.
• Mood change.
• Poorer emotion perception.

Question 13

Effects on Cognitive Functioning​

Answer 13

• Lapses in attention and inability to maintain prolonged concentration.
• Reduced alertness due to excessive sleepiness​
• Impaired problem solving, decision making, errors in judgment​

Question 14

Dyssomnias

Answer 14

Dyssomnias are sleep disorders that produce difficulty initiating, maintaining and/or timing sleep at a regular time.​

Examples of dyssomnias include sleep-onset insomnia

Question 15

Parasomnias

Answer 15

Parasomnias are sleep disorders characterised by the occurrence of inappropriate physiological and/or psychological activity during sleep or sleep-to-wake transitions.

Examples of parasomnias include sleep walking

Question 16

Dyssomnia: Sleep-Onset Insomnia​

Answer 16

Sleep-onset insomnia is a sleep disorder involving persistent difficulty falling asleep at the usual sleep time, despite having adequate time and opportunity for sleep.​

Sleep-onset insomnia is a dyssomnia because it significantly disrupts the sleep–wake cycle process and its regulation as it takes them a much longer time to fall asleep.​

Question 17

Parasomnia: Sleep Walking​

Answer 17

Mobility and activity during asleep occurs— activities may vary in type, complexity and duration

Considerable difficulty in arousing/waking during a sleep walking episode because of tendency to be in a deep sleep state

Usually occurs during NREM stages 3 and 4 (and not during REM)​

Question 18

Sleep Walking’s effect on Circadian Rhythm​

Answer 18

• There is a loss of deep sleep ​
• fragmented sleep episode
• causes daytime sleepiness following an episode.

Question 19

Sleep-Onset Insomnia​’s Effect on Circadian Rhythm​

Answer 19

• changes in the amount, restfulness and timing of their sleep​
• sleep onset tends to occur much later than desired​
• sleep tends to be non restorative

Question 20

CBT: Cognitive Techniques​

Answer 20

A CBT therapist can achieve cognitive change in someone with insomnia through the use of techniques that assist the individual in recognising and altering inappropriate or dysfunctional attitudes, beliefs and other thoughts about their insomnia.

This includes: ​

• addressing anxiety or preoccupation with sleep difficulty and identifying unhelpful thoughts​
• learning how to control or eliminate worries about falling asleep and negative thoughts that prevent sleep onset ​
• promote and offer alternative ways of thinking and interpreting what is making the person anxious or causing concern about sleep so that they are able to think about their insomnia in a different, realistic way.

Question 21

Sleep hygiene education (SHE) - (Cognitive Behavioural ​Technique):

Answer 21

provides the patient with information about basic practices that tend to improve sleep. This involves teaching good sleep habits and changing the individual’s basic lifestyle habits.

Question 22

Stimulus control therapy (SCT) - (Cognitive Behavioural ​Technique):

Answer 22

strengthens the bed and bedroom as cues for sleep and weakens them as cues for behaviours such as watching TV that are incompatible with sleep as well as to re-establish a consistent sleep–wake schedule.

For example, applying classical and operant conditioning principles and processes to the individual’s bedroom behaviours and practices to re-establish an association between sleep and the bed and bedroom.

• bed/bedroom (Antecedents) ​
• falling asleep (Behaviour) ​
• sleep/rest as a positive reinforcer (Consequence)​

Question 23

Bright Light Therapy​ - (Cognitive Behavioural ​Technique):

Answer 23

Used for Circadian Rhythm Phase Disorders in which the secretion of melatonin is supressed through timed exposure of the eyes to intense but safe bright light with the aim of shifting an individual’s sleep wake cycle to the desired schedule.