Sleep and Disorders Vocab Quiz

Alpha Waves

Type of brain wave found during "drowsiness" and REM sleep

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly to REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

Dreams

A sequence of images, emotions and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind.

Superchiasmatic nucleus

A pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythms. In response to light, this causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings.

REM Rebound

The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.

Insomnia

Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

A sleep disorder in which normal REM paralysis does not occur; instead, twitching, talking or even kicking or punching may occur, often acting out one's dreams.

Somnambulism

A sleep disorder that causes people to walk or perform other activities while still asleep.

Consciousness

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Circadian Rhythm

The biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle.

Delta Waves

Slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

NREM

Non-rapid eye movement sleep; encompasses all sleep stages except REM.

Hypnogogic Sensations

Bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep.

REM

Rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur; also known as paradoxical sleep.

Activation-synthesis Theory

A neurobiological theory that explains the origin of dreams, suggesting that dreams are the result of the cerebral cortex's attempt to make sense of the neural activity that occurs in other parts of the brain during sleep.

Consolidation Theory

The neural storage of a long-term memory during sleep.

Paradoxical Sleep

Another term for REM sleep, characterized by an active brain and a sleeping body.

Memory Consolidation

The process of stabilizing a memory trace after initial acquisition.

Sleep

Periodic natural loss of consciousness--distinct from unconsciousness resulting from coma, general anesthesia or hibernation