ultradian and infradian rhythms Flashcards
What are infradian rhythms?
rhythms that take longer than a day/ 24 hours to complete
What are examples of infradian rhythms?
the Menstrual Cycle and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
What is seasonal affective disorder?
-a depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern of onset
-a circannual infradian rhythm, linked with the prolonged periods of daily darkness in Winter
-high levels of melatonin has a knock-on effect on the production of serotonin
What hormone is thought to be involved in SAD? What does this then effect?
-melatonin, which is thought to reduce levels of serotonin production
What is the menstrual cycle?
-an infradian rhythm that governed by hormone change in the body
-approximately a 28-day cycle, from the first day of a period when the womb lining is shed to the day before her next period
How long does the menstrual cycle last on average?
-28 days
What is an ultradian rhythm?
-rhythms that occur multiple times during a 24-hour period
What is an example of an ultradian rhythm?
-sleep/wake cycle
How long does a full cycle of sleep last (approximately)
90 min
How many sleep stages are there?
5
How is the different brainwave activity of the sleep wake cycle measured?
EEG
What are sleep Stage 1 and 2? What are the characteristics of this stage?
-shallow breathing
-irregular heartbeat
-reduced blood flow
What Brain Waves are detected in sleep stage 1 and 2?
Alpha
How long does Stage 1 last approximately?
15 min
How long does Stage 2 last approximately?
20 min