Chapter 3 of AP Psychology

Why do we sleep?

We sleep for rest/recover, growth, waste removal, mental health, and memory

How much sleep should each category of people have? (Babies, Children, Teens, and Adults)

1. Babies: A lot

2. Children: 10-12 hours

3. Teens: 8-10 hours

4. Adults: 7-9

What are circadian rhythms?

24-hour biological clock

What disturbs the sleep?

1. Jet Lag 

2. Blue Light (Light hits the retina (eyes), which then simulates the hypothalamus then the Pineal gland, which then lowers melatonin)

What are the stages in sleep?

1. Stage 1: Alpha Waves

2. Stage 2: Sleep Spindles (random bursts of neural activity)

3. Stage 3 and 4: “Deep Sleep”- Delta Waves, Sleep Ineritia

4. R.E.M Sleep: Rapid Eye Movement

How many times are the cycles?

In an average night of sleep it occurs 3-7 timers (about 90 mins per cycle)

What is R.E.M rebound?

body compensating for lost REM; REM occurs faster because of this

Why do dreams occur?

1. Evolution

2. Information-Processing (memory)

3. Activation Synthesis (random neural firing)

4. Psychoanalytic (manifest content [storyline], latent content [meaning])

What are some sleep disorders?

1. insomnia - cant sleep

2. Sleep Apnea- stop breathing; need to wear CPAP