Sleep Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a circadian rhythm?

A

variation in physiological processes that cycles in a ~24 hour period

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2
Q

What are some physiological changes that follow a circadian rhythm?

A

body temperature, melatonin levels, alertness

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3
Q

What rhythm is followed by people when left in the absence of time cues?

A

free-running rhythms

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4
Q

Why don’t humans usually free-run?

A

time cues (sunlight, alarm clock) reset our internal clock every day

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5
Q

What is an ultradian rhythm?

A

a cycle that lasts less than 24 hours

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6
Q

What type of rhythm do sleep stages follow?

A

ultradian

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7
Q

How do typical free-running rhythms compare to circadian rhythms?

A

free-running rhythms are slightly longer

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8
Q

What do EEG readings indicate during sleep?

A

changes in brain activity

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9
Q

What waves do EEG scans show when someone is awake?

A

beta waves

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10
Q

When do EEG scans show alpha waves?

A

when awake but relaxed and drowsy

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11
Q

How many stages make up non-REM sleep?

A

4

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12
Q

What brain waves are seen in non-REM sleep?

A

theta and delta

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13
Q

What brain waves are seen during REM sleep?

A

beta-like waves

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of beta waves?

A

rapid, low-energy waves?

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15
Q

How do alpha waves compare to beta waves?

A

slower

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16
Q

How do theta waves compare to alpha waves?

A

slower, lower energy

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17
Q

What characteristics does REM sleep share with wakefulness?

A
  • increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration
  • muscle twitching (fingers and face)
  • eyes move around (under lids)
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18
Q

What is muscle tension during REM sleep?

A

very relaxed - almost paralyzed

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19
Q

Why might it be a benefit for muscle tension to be relaxed during REM sleep?

A

to prevent injury from acting out dreams

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20
Q

What happens when a person first enters stage 1 sleep?

A
  • brain changes to theta waves

- become less responsive to outside world

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21
Q

How much is needed to wake up someone in stage 1 sleep vs. a later stage?

A

not much needed to wake up from stage 1

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22
Q

What brain waves dominate stage 2 sleep?

A

theta waves

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23
Q

What stages of sleep are dominated by delta waves?

A

stages 3 and 4

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24
Q

What happens after reaching stage 4 sleep for the first time?

A

brain transitions back to stage 1, where REM sleep occurs

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25
Q

How many sleep cycles does an adult have during a typical night?

A

4-6 cycles

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26
Q

How does the length of REM sleep change as more sleep cycles are completed in one night?

A

it lengthens

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27
Q

How does the amount of time spent in non-REM sleep as a night progresses?

A

it decreases

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28
Q

What is the acoustic arousal threshold?

A

amount of sound required for awakening

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29
Q

What is used to characterize sleep depth?

A

acoustic arousal threshold and EEG

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30
Q

How does the time spent in REM sleep change over a lifetime?

A

time spent in REM decreases sharply from birth and childhood, continuing to trop as we age

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31
Q

How does the time spent in non-REM sleep change as we age?

A

decreases slightly

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32
Q

What is a possible reason to explain why children spend more time in REM sleep than adults?

A

REM sleep assists in brain growth and development

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33
Q

How does sleep structure vary between long sleepers (>8.5 hours) and short sleepers (<6.5 hours)?

A

long sleepers spend more time in REM/stage 1 and 2 sleep than short sleepers, whereas stage 3/4 sleep time doesn’t change

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34
Q

What happens to sleep deprived organisms?

A

physical deterioration, inhibited neural growth, impaired memory

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35
Q

What is the restoration theory of sleep?

A

sleep is necessary for physical restoration of cells in body

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36
Q

How does the body get damaged during the day?

A

oxygen metabolism produces harmfull free radicals in cells

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37
Q

How can sleep repair physical damage?

A

produces enzymes to fight cell damage

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38
Q

What is some support for the restoration theory?

A

sleep deprivation leads to breakdown of tissues; sleep more after a marathon

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39
Q

How did sleep structure vary between control groups and people who exercised 30 minutes or 60 minutes at their maximum intensity threshold?

A

it was mostly preserved - only a minor difference in stage 1 sleep (less time spent in stage 1 for those who exercised)

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40
Q

What does WASO stand for?

A

wake after sleep onset

41
Q

How did WASO vary between controls and people who exercised 30 or 60 minutes?

A

WASO was lower for those who exercised

42
Q

What are two measures of sleep quality?

A

WASO (wake after sleep onset) and latency

43
Q

What is sleep latency?

A

the length of time it takes to fall asleep

44
Q

How long does it usually take to fall asleep?

A

15-20 minutes

45
Q

What is the memory consolidation theory?

A

sleep enhances learning and memory

46
Q

According to the memory consolidation theory, what does the brain do during sleep?

A

rehearses new tasks (hippocampus activity seen when learning something is repeated during slow-wave sleep - neurons fire in same pattern)

47
Q

What is some support for the memory consolidation theory?

A

sleep architecture changes with learning, and sleep deprivation reduces learning improvement

48
Q

How does sleep architecture change after learning something new?

A

increased REM sleep

49
Q

How does improvement in learning a task relate to sleep?

A

less sleep, less improvement

50
Q

What effect does chronic sleep restriction have on cognitive function?

A

it produces cognitive impairments

51
Q

What does 4 hours of sleep restriction per night over two weeks correspond to?

A

2 days of total sleep deprivation

52
Q

What is sleep debt?

A

the amount of sleep our brain owes our body

53
Q

How does sleep debt get paid back?

A

by increases in slow wave sleep (not total sleep time)

54
Q

How does sleep restriction to 4/6 hours a night differ from total sleep deprivation in terms of sleepiness ratings over time?

A

sleepiness increases very sharply for total deprivaiton while it gradually increases over time for 4/6 hours

55
Q

How does sleep architecture change when sleep is restricted?

A

slow wave sleep time stays constant, while stages 1 and 2 time are decreased

56
Q

What are some signs of sleep deprivation?

A

needing an alarm clock to wake, sleeping longer on weekends, falling asleep during lectures

57
Q

What are insomnia, sleep apnea, sleepwalking, narcolepsy, and hypersomnia?

A

sleep disorders

58
Q

What is insomnia?

A

sleep difficulty characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep, as well as not feeling rested

59
Q

What are some possible causes of insomnia?

A

restless leg syndrome, erratic hours, medical conditions, psychological disorders, alcohol/drug use, iron deficiency

60
Q

How can insomnia be treated?

A

increase effect of GABA

61
Q

How does increasing GABA’s effect help treat insomnia?

A

it decreases CNS activity, producing a general feeling of relaxation

62
Q

What is the problem with treating insomnia with GABA?

A

the brain can adapt to GABA’s inhibitory effects by making neurons less excitable, which causes rebound insomnia when drug use is stopped

63
Q

What is sleep apnea?

A

sleep difficulty that ersults from temporary blockage of air passage

64
Q

What sleep disorder is more common in men and obese people?

A

sleep apnea

65
Q

How does sleep apnea affect one’s sleep structure?

A

lack of deep sleep and REM sleep - sleep deprived

66
Q

What sleep disorder increases the risk of car accidents, diabetes, and heart disease

A

sleep apnea

67
Q

How can sleep apnea be treated?

A

weight loss, surgery, devices that keep throat open

68
Q

What is sleepwalking?

A

sleep difficulty characterized by activities occurring during non-REM sleep that usually occur when awake

69
Q

Why can’t sleepwalking occur during REM sleep?

A

muscle activity is inhibited during REM

70
Q

What sleep disorder is more common in children?

A

sleepwalking

71
Q

What is narcolepsy?

A

sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and weakness in facial and limb muscles

72
Q

What is a term to describe a weakness in facial and limb muscles?

A

cataplexy

73
Q

What does a defecit of orexin cause?

A

narcolepsy

74
Q

What is orexin?

A

neurotransmitter important for arousal

75
Q

What sleep disorder has a genetic basis and why?

A

narcolepsy - caused by lack of orexin

76
Q

What are amphetamines and antidepressants used to treat, and what aspects of the disorder do they deal with?

A

narcolepsy; amphetamines help prevent daytime sleepiness and antidepressants help with cataplexy

77
Q

What is hypersomnia?

A

sleep difficulty characterized by sleeping more than 10 horus a day for 2+ weeks, including the urge to nap during inappropriate times

78
Q

What can apnea, brain injury, and/or depression cause?

A

hypersomnia

79
Q

What sleep disorder is correlated with suicidal adolescents?

A

hypersomnia

80
Q

What are dreams?

A

images, thoughts, and feelings experienced during sleep

81
Q

What dream theory states that dreams are “the royal road to the unconscious?

A

Freud’s psychoanalytic theory

82
Q

What are the two levels of access of dreams, according to Freud?

A

manifest level and latent level

83
Q

What is the manifest level of dreams?

A

what you actually dream - the surface level, recalled upon waking

84
Q

What is the latent level of dreams?

A

the deeper unconscious level, where true meaning lies

85
Q

What does Freud think the latent level of dreams reveals?

A

hidden conflicts

86
Q

What evidence does the memory consolidation theory present to indicate that dreaming (REM) supports memory functions?

A

new learning increases amount of REM, while REM deprivation impairs certain types of memory and synaptic plasticity

87
Q

Other than REM, what is important for some types of learning?

A

non-REM sleep

88
Q

What role does the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) play?

A

internal timekeeper - regulates physiological activity on daily cycles

89
Q

Where is the suprachiasmatic nucleus located?

A

hypothalamus

90
Q

What structure keeps the body’s circadian rhythms on track?

A

SCN

91
Q

How does the SCN regulate alertness in the morning?

A
  1. retina in eye senses morning light
  2. stimulates SCN
  3. sends signals to pineal gland to decrease amount of melatonin levels released
92
Q

How does the SCN regulate alertness in the evening?

A
  1. SCN activity decreases
  2. more melatonin secreted
  3. increased relaxation
93
Q

What is melatonin?

A

hormone with role in relaxation/drowsiness

94
Q

What can melatonin be taken to combat?

A

jet lag

95
Q

What neurotransmitter is found in neurons in the basal forebrain?

A

acetylcholine

96
Q

What effect does acetylcholine have on the brain in regards to sleep?

A

produces rapid EEG activation patterns observed in waking and REM sleep

97
Q

Do neurons in the preoptic area promote or inhibit sleep and what neurotransmitters do they contain?

A

promote sleep (GABA)

98
Q

What part of the brain contains orexin neurons?

A

posterior hypothalamus