All Flashcards
Compare the Activation-Synthesis Theory and the Consolidation Theory of dreams.
Activation-Synthesis: Dreams are random neural firings. Consolidation: Dreams help process memories.
Compare NREM sleep and REM sleep.
NREM: Stages 1-3, decreasing brain activity. REM: Brain activity similar to wakefulness, rapid eye movements, muscle atonia.
Compare insomnia and narcolepsy.
Insomnia: Difficulty falling/staying asleep. Narcolepsy: Excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.
Compare sleep apnea and somnambulism.
Sleep apnea: Breathing stops and starts during sleep. Somnambulism: Performing complex actions during deep sleep.
Compare Stage 2 and Stage 3 NREM sleep.
Stage 2: Sleep spindles and K-complexes. Stage 3: Delta waves, deep sleep.
What are the stages of sleep?
NREM Stage 1, NREM Stage 2, NREM Stage 3, REM sleep.
Describe the process of memory consolidation during sleep.
Brain replays and reinforces neural connections, moving them from short-term to long-term memory, especially during slow-wave and REM sleep.
Describe the progression of NREM stages during the night.
Stage 3 is longest in the first cycle and gets shorter later on.
Describe how REM sleep changes throughout the night.
REM sleep gets longer as the night goes on, with the longest periods in the second half of the night.
What is consciousness?
Awareness of your thoughts, feelings, actions, and surroundings.
Define circadian rhythm.
A roughly 24-hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings.
What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)?
The brain structure in the hypothalamus that controls the circadian rhythm.
What is an EEG?
Electroencephalography; a test that measures brain activity.
Define NREM sleep.
Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep; encompasses sleep stages 1-3.
What are sleep spindles?
Bursts of brain activity seen on an EEG during Stage 2 sleep.
What are K-complexes?
Large, sudden brain waves seen on an EEG during Stage 2 sleep.
Define delta waves.
High-amplitude, low-frequency brain waves characteristic of Stage 3 NREM sleep.
What is REM sleep?
Rapid Eye Movement sleep; a stage of sleep characterized by brain activity similar to wakefulness and rapid eye movements.
Define muscle atonia.
Muscle paralysis experienced during REM sleep.
What is REM rebound?
The increase in REM sleep after being deprived of it.
Define insomnia.
Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
What is narcolepsy?
Excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.
Define sleep apnea.
A sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.