Sleep and Dreaming Flashcards
sleep represents…
an altered state of consciousness
two definitions of sleep
‘sleep is a naturally recurring state characterised by or absent consciousness, relatively suspected sensory activity and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles’
‘sleep is a readily reversible state of reduced responsiveness to, and interaction with, the environment’
endogenous influences
influences originating from inside the body, specifically from the central nervous system
exogenous influences
influence originating from outside the body, e.g. light, temperature or environment
circadian rhythms are the product of…
both endogenous and exogenous influences
what type of rhythm do most physiological functions follow daily
circadian rhythm
high cortisol =
active
high melatonin =
sleep
examples of exogenous influences
-light
-temperature
-environment
how often do circannual rhythms occur
annual (yearly)
how often do circadian rhythms occur
daily
what do circadian rhythms regulate
regulates the frequency of eating and drinking, body temperature, secretion of hormones, urination and sensitivity to drugs
what is the purpose of circadian rhythms
to keep our internal workings in phase with the outside world
zeitgeber
a stimulus which resets the circadian rhythm
examples of zeitgebers
-light - light is critical for resetting the circadian rhythm
-exercise
-noise
-meals
-temperature of the environment
however every zeitgeber is less effective than light
