sleep Flashcards
sleep
a periodic, natural loss of consciousness- as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia or hibernation.
circadian rhythm
our biological clock, regular bodily rhythms (ex: temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24h cycle.
REM sleep
rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active
alpha waves
relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed awake state
NREM sleep
non-rapid eye movement sleep, encompasses all sleep stages except for REM sleep.
hallucinations
false sensory experiences such as seeing something in the absence of external visual stimulus
hypnagogic sensations
bizarre experiences such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly while transitioning to sleep
delta waves
large slow brain waves associated with the deep sleep of NREM-3
suprachiasmatic nucleus SCN
a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls the circadian rhythm. in response to light the SCN causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feeling of sleepiness.
insomnia
recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
narcolepsy
a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. the sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.
sleep apnea
a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and therefore repeated awakenings.
night terrors
a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified, unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during NREM-3 sleep, within 2-3 hours of falling asleep and are seldomly remembered.
dream
a sequence of images, emotions and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind.
manifest content
according to Freud, the symbolic, remembered story line of a dream (distinct from its latent content)
