sleep Flashcards

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1
Q

what is consciousness

A

Consciousness is everything we experience.
It is the awareness of the environment (external) and your own existence and mental processes (internal) at any given moment including, thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories.

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2
Q

consciousness as a continuum

A

No distinct boundaries between states of consciousness
Normal waking consciousness
Altered states of consciousness

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3
Q

normal waking consciousness

A

Considered to be the baseline upon which we judge all states of consciousness.
Clear organised alertness to internal and external stimuli.
At the higher end of the continuum we mostly perceive time, places and events as real, meaningful and familiar.

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4
Q

3 characteristics of NWC

A

Moderate to high levels of awareness
Good memory and cognitive abilities
Ability to focus attention on specific tasks and switch attention between tasks

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5
Q

altered state of consciousness

A

Any state that is characteristically different from normal waking consciousness in terms of awareness, feelings and behaviours. Altered states of consciousness can occur naturally (daydreaming) or with intervention (medication)

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6
Q

3 characteristics of ASC

A

Changes to levels of awareness
Memory difficulties and reduced cognitive abilities
Difficulty paying attention to specific tasks

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7
Q

what is a psychological construct

A

a concept or explanatory model that is created to describe activity that we cannot directly observe

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8
Q

why is sleep an ASC 5

A

Less limited - lose conscious control
Controlled and automatic processes
Perceptual distortions
Cognitive distortions
Emotional awareness can be flattened

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9
Q

why do we sleep

A

Sleep is needed to protect mental health physical health and overall quality of life

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10
Q

what is NREM sleep

A

A type of sleep characterised by a lack of rapid eye movement and is subdivided into 3 different stages. Starts when we first fall asleep and is thought to be important for restoration and repair of the body. NREM is needed to feel refreshed and non-fatigued.
As you move through each stage of NREM sleep the sleep experienced becomes progressively deeper

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11
Q

what is NREM good for

A

Evidence that stage 3 triggers the body to release growth hormone promoting normal growth in children,m teens and adults
Hormone boosts muscle mass and helps to repair cells and tissues
Helps to control appetite, energy metabolism and glucose processing
Helps to consolidate new memories and skills

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12
Q

stage 1 NREM

A

Close our eyes and gradually lose awareness
Can still be aware of faint sounds
Lasts approx 5 mins - ranges from 30s to 10m
If woken my think you haven’t been asleep
As your move through each stage, experience becomes deeper
Hypnic jerks occur as muscles relax
Eyes can roll
Low arousal threshold

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13
Q

stage 2 NREM

A

More difficult to wake up but still easy to arouse
Moderate sleep
Continues slowing of heart rate, breathing and muscle activity, body temp falls
Considered light sleep
Some say it is when we are truly asleep
Approx 10-12 mins - after 5 sleep is deeper and lengthens with each successive cycle
Accounts for 50% of total sleep
Brain waves are slower with brief bursts of electrical activity

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14
Q

stage 3 NREM

A

Considered period of deep sleep
More deeply relaxed - less responsive to outside world
Heart rate to lowest level, muscles completely relaxed and we barely moved
No eye movements
If woken we usually feel confused and disoriented - poor memory of sleep events - sleep inertia
largest , slowest brain waves - delta waves
Highest arousal threshold hard to wake someone up in stage 3During night, less and less time spend in stage 3
May not have any stage 3 towards morning
In first cycle may spend 20-30 mins in this stage
Can have no stage 3 in NREM in last ⅔ cycles
Makes up about 10-15% of total sleep time
Progression from N1 to N3 takes about 45-60 mins

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15
Q

what is REM sleep

A

A type of sleep characterised by rapid eye movement, high levels of brain activity and low levels of physical activity

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16
Q

what is REM sleep good for

A

Helps us sort and consolidate memories
Stimulates areas of the brain essential for learning

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17
Q

sleep cycles

A

Sleep hypnogram across a night for a healthy young adult
We generally have 5-6 cycles a night
Sleeper usually only enters stage 1 once during the cycle
Go back through the cycle in reverse order.
First cycle goes 1,2,3,2,REM
Second cycle - 1,2,3,2,REM
Each cycle lasts approx 90 minutes
Stage 3 usually only occurs in first 2 sleep cycles
As the night progresses, time in NREM decreases and time in REM increases

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18
Q

distinction between NREM and REM 4

A

More time spend in NREM than REM
REM duration becomes longer over the sleep cycle whereas NREM becomes shorter
NREM stage 3 is only evident in first couple of cycles but REM occurs throughout the night
NREM has 3 stages, REM has 1

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19
Q

how do we measure sleep

A

Sleep behaviour can be measured objectively (measurements under controlled conditions) or subjectively (measurements collected through personal observations - sleep diaries)

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20
Q

what is measured when measuring sleep 4

A

Bodily processes and changes as we fall asleep during sleep and as we awaken include:
Electrical activity of the brian
Eye movements
Body’s muscle or tension

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21
Q

3 measuring devices

A

EEG
EOG
EMG

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22
Q

electroencephalography

A

Studies brain waves during sleep - spontaneous, rhythmic electrical impulses from brain areas.
It detects, amplifies and records electrical activity.
Displays brain waves on a graph as it electrically receives signals from thousands of neurons that are active in the vicinity.
Vary in frequency (number of brain waves per second - higher the frequency the faster the brain waves, the more brain activity) and amplitude (intensity – size peaks and troughs - higher amplitude - bigger peaks)

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23
Q

electro-ocoulography

A

Measures eye movements or eye positions during sleep
Detects, amplify and records electrical activity in eye muscles that control eye movement
Electrodes attached to the areas of the face surrounding the eye.
Measures changes in eye movements in different types and stages of sleep and while dreaming.
During an ASC our ability to control eye movements does not occur to the same degree as an NSC - helps to determine a person’s state of consciousness and stage of sleep.

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24
Q

what does an EOG detect

A

When someone is awake: high level of control of muscles
In REM Sleep: EOG will detect a high amount of electrical activity because the eyes move rapidly beneath the eyelids
In NREM sleep: EOG detects low electrical activity - muscles around the eyes will have little to no movement.

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25
Q

electromyography

A

Studies the electrical activity of skeletal muscles during sleep
Detect, amplify and record electrical activity.
Attach electrodes to the skin on the relevant muscles
Records displayed as line graphs
Reveals changes in muscle movement and tone
Muscles progressively relax as we move through NREM sleep - decrease in tone and movement
Times when muscles spasm (stage 1) or deeply relax (3) and atonia (muscle paralysis) in REM sleep.

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26
Q

what is a polysomnogram

A

A device that combines all three - the EOG, EMG and EEG and provides data simultaneously.

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27
Q

what is video monitoring

A

Uses infrared cameras to record a person while sleeping: observes disturbances in sleep
Often occurs in a sleep lab at the same time in the EOG, EMG and EEG.
May reveal frequent waking , restless legs, nightmares, sleepwalking and other behaviour, teeth grinding, changes in posture.
Helpful in diagnosing sleep disorders.

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28
Q

strengths and problems with video monitoring 3

A

can observe al night but results may be inconclusive

records sounds but interpretations may be subjective

can slow footage down and enhance but can only record overt behaviour

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29
Q

sleep diaries

A

Individuals keep a record of their own experience (thoughts, feelings, behaviours) in a “log” which includes sleep and waking activities over a period of time. Often used in conjunction with objective measures

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30
Q

what information is kept within sleep diaries 3

A

Time we try to fall asleep
Time it is through that sleep onset occurs
Number time and length of awakenings during sleep

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31
Q

5 problems with sleep diaries

A

Bias
Subjective: varies over time
Rich information not available from objective measures
Embarrassment
Social desirability: recording what you believe the researcher wants

32
Q

regulation of sleep-wake patterns

A

Our body has naturally occurring physiological functions which follow a periodic cycle - or a biological rhythm eg. body temperature, blood pressure, hunger, secretion of hormones
Our sleep/wake cycle is maintained and controlled by a biological clock

33
Q

circadian rhythms

A

Biological processes that roughly follow a 24 hour cycle
Originate from internal body processes (endogenous) but they can be influenced by external zeitgebers (exogenous) - external cues like light, external temperature, noise and food
External cues can shift the internal sleep-wake cycle by pushing it forward - for example if a person is placed in an isolated environment without natural light
These rhythms make us feel more or less alert at a certain times of the day
The reason we sleep at night and are up during the day isn’t environmental factors such as work or school - it is due to circadian rhythms.

34
Q

ultradian rhythms

A

Determines the timing and duration of our sleep state
Another example of biological rhythms
Shorter than 24 hours: eye blinks, heartbeats and sleep cycles.
It is the alternation of different types of sleep (NREM and REM sleep)
Approx 1 cycle every 90 minutes
4-6 a night
Two distinctly different types/stages of sleep
Typically 5 ultradian sleep cycles each night

35
Q

sleep wake homeostasis

A

Sleep wake homeostasis: the pressure that builds the longer we stay awake - until we get to the point where we have the urge to sleep
Decreases as we sleep
The sleep demand increases as the day continues and the “dark” signals to the SCN to secrete melatonin promoting sleep onset.
This leads to the five cycles of NREM and REM sleep.

36
Q

SCN

A

The SCN is located in the hypothalamus and operated independently (but is influenced by zeitgebers)
It receives information from the eyes about light
NIGHTTIME - Activated SCN to trigger the pineal gland - releases melatonin
DAYLIGHT - Stimulated light sensitive neurons of the eye (retina) which sends messages to the SCN which sends inhibitory neurons to the pineal gland.
Daylight resets every 24 hours
Feedback on the level of melatonin in the blood helps to regulate the overall timing of the sleep wake cycle.
Light detected = SCN triggers increase in temperature and release of cortisol
SCN keeps 24 hour cycle of alertness during the day and sleepiness during the night
The sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted

37
Q

melatonin

A

A hormone that is secreted in low levels of light into the bloodstream to inside sleep as part of the sleep wake cycle. It is released by the pineal gland in response to being triggered by the SCN

Levels rise in the bloodstream in response to light. Rises at dush when it begins to get dark and peaks about midnight.
As the sun rises, the body produces cortisol to prepare your body to wake up, increasing arousal levels. SCN then inhibits the release of melatonin.
Artificial light can be bright enough to impede the release of melatonin

Can take a melatonin tablet to treat sleep disorders.

38
Q

evolutionary theory of sleep

A

Emphasises relationship of sleep to circadian rhythms
Sleep is adaptive - evolved to enhance survival
Inactive when most risky to move about (night)
Circadian sleep-wake cycle ensures activity are synchronised with day-night cycle and at safety times
Less likely to attract predators when sleeping

39
Q

restorative sleep theory

A

Time to recover from depleting activities tha sue physical and mental resources
Allows time for body/brain to grow/repair/recover/replenish
Replenish energy stores
Repair damaged cells
We feel refreshed when we sleep
Evidence” animals deprived of sleep lose all immune function and die in a relatively short period of time

40
Q

sleep and brain plasticity

A

Sleep corresponds to the changes in structure and organisation of the brain
Sleep plays a vital role in brain development of infants and children and adults in optimising the ability to learn and perform tasks - development is reduced when there is a lack of sleep

41
Q

sleep patterns of newborns

A

No established sleep-wake cycle, sleep both day/night
About 16 hours per day is sleeping
About 50% is rem sleep, other half is NREM
Evidence for restorative theory
NREM to support growth and replenishment of body and REM for healthy brian development
Short sleep cycles are usually about 20-50 minutes. Fewer sleep cycles
May commence sleep with REM rather than starting in stage 1 of NREM

42
Q

sleep patterns of infants

A

Total sleep drops - around 12-14 hours
Longer period of wakefulness during the day and longer period of sleep at night
Greater responsiveness to social cues
proportion of REM drops
Approx 25-35% is REM sleep
By 4-6 months sleep is influenced by circadian rhythms
By 3 months sleep begins with NREM - total NREM and REM cycle is about 50 minutes
Sleep is usually longer at night with two naps during the day

43
Q

sleep patterns of children

A

Need 11-12 hours a night
REM drops 20-25%
Normal to nap until 3-5
Young children tend to sleep more in the early evening
The amount of slow wave sleep peaks in early childhood and drops after puberty

44
Q

sleep patterns of adolscents

A

Total sleep time drops to around 9 hours
About 2 hours or 20-25% is REM sleep
More stage 3 NREM with brief REM at the end of each cycle in the first half of sleep, in the second half of the night to longer periods of REM.
Stage 3 deep sleep declines, time in stage 2 increases
By late adolescence NREM 3 sleep decreases up t0 40%

45
Q

sleep patterns of adults

A

Need 7-8 ours
Approx 20-25% is REM sleep
Progressive decline in duration of a typical sleep episode
The proportion of time in REM and NREM sleep stabilises
Gradual loss of NREM stage 3 sleep
Deep sleep declines ata rate of about 35 per decade
Timing of sleep changes - earlier due to release of melatonin
Shift wake time to earlier in the morning
Five cycles of sleep lasting approx 90 minutes

46
Q

sleep patterns of elderly

A

7-8 hours is recommended - but they often sleep less
Approx 20-25% is REM sleep
Less time in stage 3 NREM
Wake more frequently at nights
Nap more frequently during the day
May be due to deteriorating SCN which disrupts circadian rhythms affecting when they feel tired and when they feel alert
Can also be due to medical issues
Feel sleepy earlier of the evening and wake earlier in the morning
May take longer to fall asleep - less melatonin is produced
Sleep needs do not decline with age in adulthood

47
Q

sleep deprivation

A

A state caused by inadequate quantity (how much we sleep) or quality (how well we sleep) of sleep. Sleep can be partial (some sleep within a 24 hour period but less than required to perform at an optimal level during the day) or total (no sleep at all in a 24 hour period).

Quality sleep is needle to recover mentally and physically
Poor quantity can influence our perception of quality. Can lead to feeling bored, poor concentration, memory and emotional issues.

Sleep deprivation can produce possible physiological (behavioural) and psychological (affective and cognitive) affects.

48
Q

3 effects of partial sleep deprivation on affective functioning

A
  • amplified emotions
  • difficulty judging others
  • inability to cope with stress
49
Q

3 effects of partial sleep deprivation on cognitive functioning

A
  • irrational thinking
  • lack of spatial orientation
  • difficulty solving problems
50
Q

3 effects of partial sleep deprivation on behavioural functioning

A
  • slowed performance
  • slowed reaction time
  • clumsiness
51
Q

what are microsleeps

A

Brief periods of time (3-15 seconds) when the individual appears awake, their eyes may be open however EEG recordings show brain waves similar to the first stage of NREM sleep.
The individual is asleep but may have no recollection of what occurred while they were asleep.

52
Q

sleep debt

A

The accumulated amount of sleep lost from insufficient sleep.
The difference between the amount of sleep needed for an individual to function at an optimal level and the amount of sleep a person gets. We do not need compensation for hours we missed if we get a good night’s sleep.

53
Q

effects of total sleep deprivation

A

Magnifies the effects of partial sleep deprivation
can cause sleep-deprivation psychosis temporarily: major disruption of mental and emotional functioning - confusion and disorientation
Paranoid, anxious, depresses - if continues over 72 hours can lead to hallucinations
Very dangerous for simple or routine, monotonous repetitive tasks.

54
Q

sleep deprivation vs BAC

A

17 hours - 0.05% 2x more likely to be in an accident.
24 hours - 0.10% 7x more likely to be in an accident.

55
Q

sleep disturbances

A

A sleep disturbance is any sleep-related problem disrupting normal sleep-wake cycle
It can be temporary, occasional and persistent and may be a normal response to stress or illness
If this regularly disrupts sleep and causes distress/impairment in everyday life it is called a sleep disorder.

56
Q

sleep disorders

A

Serious disturbances to normal sleep-wake cycle patterns. Must be persistent
Interferes with ability to carry out normal daily activities - social or occupational and cause emotional distress
May also suffer from sleep deprivation quality, quantity and timing of sleep.

57
Q

circadian phase disorders

A

Disorder where people fall out of line with their normal night sleep-wake cycle
Mismatch between sleep-wake cycle and sleep-wake schedule required by school, work or social life

58
Q

delayed sleep phase disorders
+ 3 causes

A

Natural tendency t0 go to bed later and wake up later than what is conventional or normal. It is not easy to change this pattern and is commonly occurring in adolescents.

The issue is that the routine of sleeping and waking is often in conflict with work or school schedules - causing insufficient quantity and quality of sleep.
This reduces NREM (body functions) and REM (restoring brain functions).

Compensating by napping, sleeping longer on weekends can perpetuate the delayed sleep phase cycle and further delay it.
This worsens with insufficient light in the morning or too much light at night.

Could be caused by
Inability to response to environmental time cues
Biological clocks with longer cycles
Imbalance in melatonin

59
Q

advanced sleep phase disorder

A

The problem with the circadian rhythm is the timing is too early. Persistent disturbance for sleep to an earlier time. This is not a problem if the problem suits the individual and does not impact early waking time leading to sleep deprivation.
Problems staying awake in the evening - falling asleep between 6pm and 8pm and then waking very early in the morning (1-4am).
ASPD could impact social engagements, work and family life and is more common in elderly.
Waking at early hours can be isolating and may give the perception they aren’t getting enough sleep.

60
Q

why does ASPD happen

A

Not clearly known but could be due to:
Age related deterioration of the SCN
Reduction in melatonin production
Shift in circadian timing of melatonin to 2-4 hours earlier than normal due to decreased exposure to light in the late afternoon/early evening and increased exposure to early morning light due to early morning awakenings

61
Q

how to fix ASPD

A

Taking melatonin
Bright light visualisation

62
Q

how does shift work affect sleep

A

Loss of synchronisation between the homeostatic sleep pressure drive (the urge to sleep when we get to evening) and the circadian rhythm.

We also revert to daytime routines on days off which shifts the sleep wake cycle again.
Constant shifts in sleep wake cycles makes circadian rhythms unstable. But we do eventually adjust

63
Q

how to fix sleep disorders caused by shift work

A

Create shifts where there are longer periods on the same shift to avoid readjustment
Reduce the effect of shift work - stay on one shift as long as possible, rotate shifts forwards and maintain a sleep pattern of 7-8 hours before sleep.
Avoid caffeine and stimulants before sleep
Make sure room is conducive to sleep

64
Q

bright light therapy

A

Exposure to intense but safe amounts of artificial light for a specific and regular length of time to help synchronise the sleep-wake cycle
Light transmitted to SCN
Influences melatonin secretion from pineal gland
Sleep-wake cycle shift is gradually changed

65
Q

bright light therapy for ASPD

A

When the circadian rhythm is advanced (sleeping too early) bright light therapy is done early eventing to delay the circadian rhythm to later
Delays release of melatonin - signals to the SCN that it is not time to sleep
Can take several weeks

66
Q

bright light therapy for DSPD

A

When circadian rhythm is delayed (sleeping later) bright light therapy is given in the morning to advance circadian rhythm to earlier time, extending the time the individual is awake, causing melatonin to be released earlier.

67
Q

rsynchronisation

A

To overcome circadian rhythm sleep disorder we need to alter the rhythm to their desired sleep schedule.
This is achieved through exposure to light at the right times, (bright light therapy) as well as sleep hygiene techniques and taking melatonin supplements.
Sleeping tablets are not effective because they do not correct the underlying circadian rhythm disorder.

68
Q

reverting sleep wake cycles for shift workers

A

Light therapy would be used in the evening to prevent drowsiness.
Workers should avoid daylight between end of shift and sleep but this can be difficult due to days off and social life, causing sleep-wake cycle to be unstable.
Problems with bright light
Side effects such as headaches, nausea, eyestrain and skin dryness may occur especially t the start of treatment

69
Q

sleep hygeine

A

Describes healthy sleep habits or behaviours to optimise getting to sleep when desired and achieving quantity and quality of sleep
It involves changing basic lifestyle habits and the sleep environment to influence sleep quality and alertness during the day

70
Q

4 examples of good sleep hygeine

A

Maintain a regular sleep wake bedtime routine
Use bed for sleeping
Avoid stimulating activities in the hour before bed
When you cannot sleep, get up

71
Q

how to improve sleep environment

A

Comfortable bed
Quiet room
Dark, cool (17-19 degrees)
No TV
Hide clock

72
Q

what are zeitgebers

A

Timing of daily occurring activities provide time cues to allow our circadian rhythms to keep our body in sync with the environment. This is known as entertainment. When our SCN adjusts or resets the sleep-wake cycle to match the environment under the influence of a zeitgeber.

73
Q

light as a zeitgebers

A

Impacts our sleep directly (make it difficult to fall asleep) and indirectly (influence time of sleep)
Can advance or delay our biological clock, impacting on the sleep-wake cycle
Different types of light have different effects.

74
Q

daylight as a zeitgebers

A

The light from the sun is a form of blue light making us more alert
This allows our circadian sleep-wake cycle to be closely synchronised with sunrise and sunset
Exposure to the sun during morning hours and early afternoon advances the sleep wake cycle

75
Q

blue light as a zeitgeber

A

Has the most effect on circadian rhythm
Most of our exposure is from the sun, however it also comes from fluorescent andLED lighting on devices such as computers, game consoles, screens and e-readers
This can disrupt our circadian rhythm by reducing or delaying the natural release of melatonin - decreasing feelings of sleepiness.
Can affect the sleep quantity and quality - prolonging sleep onset, shorten total sleep time and reduce the amount of time spent in NREM and REM sleep, increase frequency of nighttime awakenings and cause morning sleepiness.
Chronic exposure the blue light can cause a shift - delayed sleep syndrome
Timing and exposure to blue light
To avoid conflicting zeitgeber of blue light - limit exposure to screens 1-2 hours before bed
Buy glasses that block blue light
Change settings to warmer tones

76
Q

temperature as a zeitgeber

A

The hypothalamus (including the SCM) regulates body temperature automatically
It rises as dawn approaches, peaks during the day, dips in the early afternoon and drops before sleep at night
As body temperature decreases, melatonin increases
So air temperature can be used as a zeitgeber to signal the body is ready for sleep
A cool bedroom promotes sleep onset and better sleep quality (18 degrees is best)
A zeitgeber can be to take a warm bath before bed to lower core body temperature as you leave the bath.

77
Q

eating and drinking as a zeitgeber

A

Sleep deprivation can lead to unbalanced hormones that lead to hunger, so a lack of sleep may cause obesity
Hormones like insulin and cortisol are also released in the morning and after a healthy sleep - so sleep deprivation can lead to a higher than normal blood sugar level - placing the sleep deprived at a higher risk of diabetes

We should avoid caffeine in the later afternoon and evening as it stimulate the nervous system increasing heart rate and decreasing melatonin
Alcohol induces drowsiness to assist with sleep onset but can shorten overall sleep duration and quality