sleep wake patterns - bio mechanisms

Question 1

biological rhythms

Answer 1

naturally occurring cycle of physiological, psychological or behavioural changes

Two categories of biological rhythms are:
circadian and ultradian rhythms.

Question 2

Biological clock

Answer 2

innate timing that regulates one or more biological rhythms

Question 3

circadian rhythm

Answer 3

involves physiological, psychological or behavioural changes that occur as part of cycle with a duration of approximately 24 hours.

Question 4

ultradian rhythm

Answer 4

is a biological rhythm that involves physiological, psychological or behavioural changes that occur as part of a cycle shorter than 24 hours.

Question 5

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

Answer 5

master biological clock that regulates the timing and activity of the sleep–wake cycle.

a pair of pinhead-sized structures with about 20 000 neurons.

strategic position enables the SCN to respond to light and control the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel drowsy.

Question 6

melatonin

Answer 6

a hormone that is involved in the initiation of sleep and in the regulation of the sleep–wake cycle.

produced by the pineal gland in the brain and released into the blood stream, through which it reaches every organ in the body.