Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Disorders

These flashcards summarize key concepts related to circadian rhythms, sleep disorders, and the science of sleep, based on the lecture notes.

The master clock of our circadian rhythms is called __.

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

Melatonin is thought to help regulate and .

sleep and circadian rhythms

The best available evidence suggests melatonin does not help adults in or more sleep.

falling asleep earlier or getting more sleep in total

Melatonin appears to help children fall asleep faster by an average of __ minutes.

eight minutes

Social jet lag refers to the misalignment of our __ due to social activities.

biological rhythm

The __ is responsible for regulating many internal bodily functions, including circadian rhythms.

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

Insomnia can be driven primarily by __.

anxiety and stress

Sleep apnea is characterized by __ during sleep.

obstruction of airflow

Cataplexy is a sudden loss of muscle tone associated with __.

narcolepsy

Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is awake but unable to __.

move their body

Night terrors typically arise during which stage of sleep? __

stage four sleep (deep sleep)

REM behavior disorder is when individuals __ during their dreams.

act out their dreams

The glymphatic system in the brain is responsible for __ during sleep.

removing metabolic waste

The primary reason given for why we sleep is that __.

we don't fully understand the reasons behind it.

During sleep, the brain is thought to perform important functions such as and .

memory consolidation and waste removal

The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming suggests that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of __ during sleep.

random neural activity

what’s a zeitgeber? whats the most important one?

A time giver, light

What is Insomnia?

inability to start or maintain sleep over at least 3 nights

What is Narcolepsy? what is it a result of?

A sleep disorder associated with difficulty maintaining wakefulness. It’s a result of damage or obstruction in the hypothalamus

What is Cataplexy?

struck by paralysis but conscious. Triggered by strong emotions. Often a feature of narcolepsy

Which stage does sleep-walking occur in?

stage 4

When does sleep-talking typically occur?

during REM sleep

What stage of sleep do night terrors happen?

stage 4

What is REM Behaviour Disorder a high predictor of?

Parkinson’s disease and Lewy-Body Dementia

What is Enuresis? Why does it happen? What stage does it occur?

Bedwetting, related to development of muscles (bladder), not related to the brain. Stage 4.

What’s a dream?

A sequence of thoughts, images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a person’s mind

• internal ideas and internal world

We usually dream of ordinary events and everyday experiences, most involving ___.

anxiety or misfortune

8 in 10 dreams have___.

negative event or emotion

The most common dreams are ___.

Ones incorporating experiences from the previous day’s

What is Activation-synthesis?

REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random stimuli and memories, which our sleeping brain weaves into narrative