5.1 Circadian Rhythms_default

Sleep

A reversible behavioral state of perceptual disengagement.

Circadian Rhythms

Biological rhythms that cycle roughly every 24 hours.

REM Sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep, characterized by eye movements and dreams.

Sleep Architecture

The structure and pattern of sleep cycles through different stages.

Sleep Deprivation

Lack of sufficient sleep, leading to negative consequences.

Delta Waves

Slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

Sleep Spindles

Burst of brain activity occurring in stage two sleep.

Atonia

Lack of muscle tone during REM sleep.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

The master clock in the brain that regulates circadian rhythms.

Sleep Cycle

A complete progression through the various stages of sleep.

Chronobiology

The study of biological rhythms and their effects on living organisms.

NREM Sleep

Non-rapid eye movement sleep, which includes stages one to four.

Sleep Efficiency

The ratio of total sleep time to the amount of time spent in bed.

Lucid Dreaming

A state of consciousness where one is aware of dreaming and may control the dream.

Zeitgebers

External cues that synchronize biological rhythms, like light for the circadian clock.

Stage 2 Sleep

The second stage of sleep featuring sleep spindles and K-complexes.