Sleep

Mia Perez
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers sleep and consciousness, including: levels of consciousness, circadian rhythms and their disruptions (e.g., jet lag, shift work), stages of sleep (NREM and REM), theories of dream function, sleep's role in memory and restoration, common sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea) and their effects. It also includes practice questions and exam tips.
#AP Psychology (2025) - Sleep & Consciousness: Your Ultimate Study Guide π΄
Hey there, future AP Psych superstar! Let's dive into the fascinating world of sleep and consciousness. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource, especially the night before the big exam. We'll break down complex topics, make connections, and arm you with memory aids to ace this section. Let's get started!
#Introduction to Sleep and Consciousness
#Levels of Consciousness
- Consciousness is all about how aware you are of your thoughts, feelings, actions, and surroundings. Think of it as a spectrum, from being fully alert to being completely out of it.
- Sleep and wakefulness are the two main states we'll focus on. When you're asleep, your awareness of the world drops way down compared to when you're awake and ready to go.
#Circadian Rhythms and Disruptions
- Your body operates on a roughly 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm. It's like your internal clock, and it's mostly controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in your hypothalamus.
- The SCN responds to light and dark, helping to keep your sleep-wake cycle in sync.
- Disruptions happen when your internal clock doesn't match your external environment:
- Jet lag: Traveling across time zones throws your rhythm off. βοΈ
- Shift work: Working nights or rotating shifts messes with your natural sleep schedule.
Think of the SCN as your body's internal conductor, keeping all of your biological processes in harmony with the day-night cycle. When you travel or work odd hours, it's like the conductor is trying to follow a different score, leading to a chaotic performance.
#Stages of Sleep
- Sleep isn't just one thing; it's a series of stages, each with its own brain activity patterns, measured by electroencephalography (EEG).
#NREM Sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Movement)
- Stage 1: The light, transitional phase between being awake and asleep. You might experience hypnagogic sensations, like feeling like you're falling or jerking. π΄
- Stage 2: A bit deeper, with sleep spindles and K-complexes showing up on the EEG.
- Stage 3: Also known as slow-wave sleep or deep sleep, where your brain produces high-amplitud...

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