PSYCHED: SLEEP

What did Robert Stickgold's experiment find about sleep after learning a difficult task?

Sleeping after learning helps consolidate the learning.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep.

What occurs during sleep apnea?

A person stops breathing over a short period of time while asleep.

Define somnambulism.

Somnambulism is when a person rises and walks around while asleep.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a disorder in which sudden sleep attacks occur in the middle of waking activities.

What is sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is the experience of waking up unable to move.

What are night terrors?

Night terrors are abrupt moments of intense panic and physical arousal during sleep.

Define Restless Leg Syndrome.

Restless Leg Syndrome is when a person experiences limb movement while asleep.

List the 5 characteristics of dreams.

1. We feel emotions 2. The dream thought is illogical 3. We accept it uncritically 4. We have sensations, especially vision 5. We don’t usually remember dreams after waking up.

What can dreams include?

Dreams can include specific bits of an experience, an interpretation of a sensation felt while sleeping, and repressed thoughts.

According to Freud, what do dreams represent?

Dreams are an expression of the taboo desires of the id.

What does the activation-synthesis theory propose about dreams?

Dreams are the brain trying to make sense of neural activity during sleep without access to external sensory information.

What is the purpose of the evolved threat rehearsal model?

Dreams serve as practice for real-life situations.

Which regions of the brain are active during REM sleep?

The amygdala is active (fear & emotions), visual association areas, but the prefrontal cortex is less active.

Why is REM sleep essential?

REM sleep helps consolidate learning by transferring information from short-term to long-term memory.

What does consciousness refer to?

Consciousness is awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Differentiate between awareness and consciousness.

Awareness entails perception that can determine behavior and lacks language, while consciousness is associated with language and rational schemes.

What are Freud’s Iceberg components?

Conscious (thoughts), Preconscious (memories), Unconscious (fears, immoral urges).

What is the circadian rhythm?

Circadian rhythm is a 24-hour biological clock affecting changes in energy, body temperature, and thinking ability.

Describe ultradian and infradian rhythms.

Ultradian rhythm has more than one peak a day (appetite), and infradian rhythm has one peak a month (menstruation).

What are free-running cycles?

Free-running cycles are biological clocks outside of our control.

What is entrainment in the context of sleep?

Entrainment is changing a free-running cycle.

What do photosensitive ganglion cells do?

They respond to light and signal the pons and pineal gland to stop producing sleep-inducing hormones.

What is the role of the suprachiasmatic nuclei?

They keep time and regulate circadian rhythms through gene transcription and protein production.

What can disrupt the biological clock?

Jetlag can disrupt the biological clock.

How does the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus help in falling asleep?

It sends GABA and galanin to inhibit areas that promote wakefulness.

Compare brain waves when awake versus asleep.

Awake - beta waves (high frequency, low amplitude); Asleep - alpha waves (low frequency, high amplitude).

What happens during the hypnagogic state?

It is the transition from beta to alpha waves, marked by slow rolling eye movements and hallucinations.

What characterizes Stage 2 of sleep?

Stage 2 features theta waves, sleep spindles, and K complexes.

What defines stages 3 and 4 of sleep?

Stages 3 and 4 have large, slow delta waves and are characterized by deep sleep.

Describe the sleep cycle duration.

The sleep cycle takes approximately 90 minutes, going from stage 1 - 4 - 1 then REM.

What is REM sleep known for?

REM sleep, or emergent stage 1, shows brain activity similar to wakefulness and is associated with dreaming.

How do sleep stages change throughout the night?

Stage 4 gets shorter while REM and stage 2 get longer as the night progresses.

What type of sleep includes all non-REM sleep stages?

NREM sleep includes all non-REM sleep stages.

What do recent studies suggest about NREM dreaming?

Recent research shows that dreaming is more prevalent during NREM than previously assumed.