The Need to Sleep

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the need for sleep.

Homeostasis

Regulation by a living organism of its internal environment to prevent critical bodily functions from reaching dangerous extremes.

Homeostatic Sleep Drive

The desire to sleep that increases during wakefulness and decreases during sleep.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

A molecule used by cells for energy; its depletion leads to sleepiness as adenosine builds up.

Sleep Deprivation Effects

Consequences of lack of sleep, including emotional, cognitive, and physiological symptoms.

Micro-sleeps

Involuntary short episodes of sleep lasting a few seconds, often occurring after sleep deprivation.

Circadian Rhythms

Biological clocks controlling physiological functions rhythmically, adapted for day/night cycles.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

The master circadian clock located in the hypothalamus that regulates body rhythms.

Circadian Phase Response Curve

A representation of how sensitive the circadian clock is to light at different times of the day.

CSD (Circadian Sleep Drive)

The sleep drive influenced by circadian rhythms, often cycling throughout the nychthemeron.

HSD (Homeostatic Sleep Drive)

The sleep drive influenced by the amount of previous sleep and wakefulness.