Consciousness & Sleep – Revision Flashcards

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Flashcards covering key vocabulary for consciousness, sleep stages, brainwaves, lifespan changes, circadian disorders, effects of sleep loss, zeitgebers and important exam command terms.

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50 Terms

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Consciousness

Awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings and environment at any given moment.

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Normal Waking Consciousness (NWC)

State of clear, organised alertness with high awareness of internal and external environments.

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Altered State of Consciousness (ASC)

Any condition of consciousness that differs noticeably from NWC in awareness and experience.

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Psychological Construct

A concept that exists and can be inferred from behaviour and physiological changes but cannot be directly observed.

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Sleep

A naturally recurring ASC characterised by reduced awareness, muscle activity and responsiveness to external stimuli.

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REM Sleep

Stage of sleep with rapid eye movements, brainwave activity like wakefulness, vivid dreaming and muscle paralysis.

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NREM Sleep

Non-rapid eye movement sleep comprising three stages and making up about 75–80 % of a night’s sleep.

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Circadian Rhythm

A 24-hour physiological cycle regulating sleep-wake patterns and other bodily functions.

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Ultradian Rhythm

A biological rhythm shorter than 24 h, e.g. the 90-minute sleep cycle.

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Sleep Cycle

A 90-minute sequence of NREM and REM stages; about five cycles occur in an eight-hour sleep.

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NREM Stage 1 (N1)

Light transitional sleep where physiological responses begin to slow; easy to wake.

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NREM Stage 2 (N2)

Light sleep with further slowing of body functions; contains sleep spindles and K-complexes; most frequent stage.

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NREM Stage 3 (N3)

Deep or slow-wave sleep with delta waves, lowest physiological activity and highest arousal threshold.

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Average Sleep Episode

Typical night sleep of ~8 h containing five 90-minute cycles of NREM and REM sleep.

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Hypnogram

A line graph plotting stages of sleep (depth) against time across a sleep episode.

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Beta Waves

High-frequency, low-amplitude brainwaves linked to alert, focused wakefulness.

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Alpha Waves

Relatively high-frequency, low-amplitude waves associated with relaxed wakefulness or light meditation.

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Theta Waves

Medium-frequency, high-amplitude waves evident in N1, dreaming and deep meditation.

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Delta Waves

Lowest-frequency, highest-amplitude waves dominant in N3 deep sleep.

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Sleep Spindle

Short burst of high-frequency brain activity in N2 indicating memory consolidation.

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K-Complex

Single large, high-amplitude wave in N2, thought to suppress arousal and aid memory.

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Muscle Atonia

Complete loss of voluntary muscle tone experienced during REM sleep.

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REM Proportion

REM comprises roughly 20–25 % of total nightly sleep.

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NREM Proportion

NREM comprises roughly 75–80 % of total nightly sleep.

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Newborn Sleep Pattern

14–17 h daily; ~50 % REM, 50 % NREM; essential for rapid brain growth.

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Child Sleep Pattern

10–12 h daily; ~25 % REM, 75 % NREM; circadian rhythm shifts earlier as naps disappear.

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Adolescent Sleep Pattern

8–10 h needed; ~20 % REM; circadian phase delay causes later sleep onset.

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Adult Sleep Pattern

7–9 h; ~20 % REM; lifestyle factors (work, parenting) can fragment sleep; N3 begins to decline.

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Elderly Sleep Pattern

6–7 h; minimal or absent N3, increased awakenings; circadian phase advance and lower melatonin.

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Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)

Circadian disorder where sleep onset and wake times are delayed by ≥2 h compared with conventional times.

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Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder (ASPD)

Circadian disorder where sleep onset and wake occur ≥2 h earlier than typical.

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Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD)

Sleep difficulties and excessive sleepiness resulting from working rotating or overnight shifts.

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Affective Functioning

Emotional regulation; impaired by sleep deprivation leading to heightened irritability and mood swings.

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Behavioural Functioning

Observable actions; sleep deprivation causes slower task completion, risk-taking and reduced productivity.

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Cognitive Functioning

Mental processes; sleep loss impairs attention, memory, decision-making and problem-solving.

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Zeitgeber

External cue, such as light, that synchronises circadian rhythms.

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Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

Hypothalamic ‘biological clock’ that regulates timing of the sleep-wake cycle using light information.

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Melatonin

Hormone released by pineal gland; secretion increases in darkness, promoting sleepiness.

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Light as a Zeitgeber

Strongest environmental cue; inhibits melatonin in bright light and stimulates its release in darkness.

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Caffeine and Sleep

CNS stimulant that suppresses melatonin, raises heart rate and can delay sleep onset for 4–6 h.

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Alcohol and Sleep

Induces drowsiness but fragments second-half sleep, reducing overall quality and increasing awakenings.

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Core Body Temperature

Drops prior to sleep; falling temperature signals SCN to facilitate melatonin release and sleep onset.

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Circadian Phase Delay

Shift of sleep-wake cycle to later times, typical in adolescence and DSPS.

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Circadian Phase Advance

Shift of sleep-wake cycle to earlier times, common in older adults and ASPD.

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Command Term: Define

Provide a clear, precise and accurate meaning of a term.

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Command Term: Evaluate

Judge, assess and weigh the merits of a concept or procedure using evidence.

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Command Term: Compare

Point out or measure the similarities between two concepts.

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Command Term: Outline

Give the main points or facts, leaving out minor details.

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Command Term: Justify

Provide reasons or examples, often using scenario data, to support a point.

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Command Term: Identify / Name / Classify

Recognise and label a required item, concept or category.