PSYC 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Slow-Wave Sleep, Circadian Rhythm, Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
1 Feb 2020
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Sleep: naturally occurring periodic suspension of consciousness: circadian rhythm: cycle of behavior and physiology that repeats about every 24 hours, regulated by part of hypothalamus called suprachiasmatic nucleus (scn, most animals exhibit some circadian rhythm. Individual variations: age, younger people tend to perform best at night, older people tend to perform best in the morning, circadian low points, people are at their lowest at 1-4am and 1-4pm, drop in performance. Paradoxical sleep : person looks calm from the outside, but internally the brain is very active, brain consumes more oxygen than when you"re awake, muscles are paralyzed, almost all mammals studied exhibit rem sleep. Increase irritability, silliness: harder to concentrate, learn, suppresses immune system, leads to unregulated appetite, people don"t adapt to less sleep, microsleeps: periods of sleep that last for seconds. Functions of sleep: theories, restorative function, gives body and brain a chance to replenish supplies and make repairs, gives brain a chance to reorganize itself.
