Ultradian Rhythem

Question 1

When does an ultradian rhythm occur ?

Answer 1

More frequently than once very 24 hours

R.g stages of sleep occurs more frequently than once every 24 hours as there are 5 distinct stages

That a person cycles through up to 5 times a night

Question 2

Stage 1 and 2 light sleep

Answer 2

Person may be easily woken and show alpha brain waves

Question 3

Stage 3 and 4 deep sleep

Answer 3

Brain waves are delta waves difficult to wake someone at this point

In stage 4 body repairs itself

Question 4

Stage 5 REM

Answer 4

Body is paralysed

Brain activity closely resembles that of the awake brain

Dreams are often experienced

Function of stage 5 is to repair the brain

Question 5

Exogenous factor exercise on impacting the consistency of ultradian rhythm

Answer 5

Individuals who run ultra marathons spend longer in stage 4 of sleep , found to aid physical recovery to repair muscles

Question 6

Mental health conditions

Answer 6

Acts as an exogenous factor individuals with depression have been found to enter stages 5 (REM) earlier than the average person

Question 7

Ultradian rhythms Ao3 strength

Answer 7

Practical applications in understanding age related sleep

The knowledge that the growth hormone is produced during stage 4 of sleep

Had been associated with sleep deficit in old age as research has found older people experience less in stage 4 sleep

As a result of this research medication and relaxation techniques have been developed to increase stage 4 sleep

Thus research investigating ultradian rhythms is important part of applied psychology

Question 8

Ultradian rhythms Ao3 strength

Answer 8

Research into ultradian rhythms is that it uses scientific methods

Based on objective and empirical techniques such as EEGs

These scientifically measure the activity of the brain throughout 5 stages of sleep

To identify length of rhythms and how many times rhythm occurs throughout duration of sleep whilst excluding extraneous variables

Increases overall internal validity of research investigating role of endogenous factors in ultradian rhythms thus raising psychology’s scientific status

Question 9

Ultradian rhythms Ao3 limitation

Answer 9

Low ecological validity

Conducted in artificial setting and so sleep experienced by ppts in these studies may not reflect genuine sleep patterns

Governed by exogenous pacemakers

This may alter length of ultradian rhythm, difficult to genrelise findings to explain how ultradian rhythms work in real life

Thus reducing external validity of research into endogenous and exogenous factors in ultradian rhythms