All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Which neurotransmitter is involved in promoting wakefulness?
Answer: Norepinephrine. Stimulant neurotransmitter that maintains alertness and arousal.
Flashcard 2: Identify the brain wave associated with deep sleep.
Answer: Delta waves. The slowest brain waves, characteristic of deep sleep stages.
Flashcard 3: Which hormone is primarily responsible for sleep regulation?
Answer: Melatonin. Released by the pineal gland in response to darkness.
Flashcard 4: Identify the stage of sleep where sleepwalking occurs.
Answer: Stage 3 of NREM sleep. Deep sleep stage when complex motor behaviors can occur.
Flashcard 5: What is the definition of REM sleep?
Answer: Rapid Eye Movement sleep; a sleep stage with vivid dreams. Stage characterized by dreaming and temporary muscle paralysis.
Flashcard 6: What is the primary symptom of delayed sleep phase disorder?
Answer: Difficulty falling asleep at conventional times. Circadian rhythm disorder causing delayed sleep-wake timing.
Flashcard 7: Identify the stage of sleep where the body repairs tissues.
Answer: Stage 3 of NREM sleep. Deep sleep promotes physical recovery and tissue regeneration.
Flashcard 8: What is the primary function of sleep according to the adaptive theory?
Answer: Conserves energy and protects from predators. Evolutionary theory explaining sleep as survival mechanism.
Flashcard 9: What is the term for the phenomenon of waking up before an alarm?
Answer: Anticipatory arousal. Biological clock can trigger awakening before external stimuli.
Flashcard 10: What is sleep paralysis?
Answer: Temporary inability to move or speak upon waking. REM muscle atonia persists briefly into waking consciousness.
Flashcard 11: Which neurotransmitter is involved in promoting wakefulness?
Answer: Norepinephrine. Stimulant neurotransmitter that maintains alertness and arousal.
Flashcard 12: Which hormone is primarily responsible for sleep regulation?
Answer: Melatonin. Released by the pineal gland in response to darkness.
Flashcard 13: What is the main characteristic of non-REM sleep?
Answer: Lack of vivid dreaming. NREM stages feature minimal dream activity and slower brain waves.
Flashcard 14: What is the effect of caffeine on sleep?
Answer: Delays sleep onset and reduces sleep quality. Stimulant blocks adenosine receptors, preventing sleepiness signals.
Flashcard 15: What is a hypnic jerk?
Answer: An involuntary muscle twitch during sleep onset. Normal muscle spasm occurring during transition to sleep.
Flashcard 16: What is the definition of REM sleep?
Answer: Rapid Eye Movement sleep; a sleep stage with vivid dreams. Stage characterized by dreaming and temporary muscle paralysis.
Flashcard 17: What is the average duration of a complete sleep cycle?
Answer: Approximately 90 minutes. Time to progress through all NREM and REM stages once.
Flashcard 18: What is the primary function of sleep according to the restoration theory?
Answer: Sleep restores body and brain functions. Theory suggesting sleep repairs cellular damage and waste removal.
Flashcard 19: Which stage of sleep is most associated with dreaming?
Answer: REM sleep. Most vivid dreams occur during this rapid eye movement stage.
Flashcard 20: Which stage of sleep features the slowest brain waves?
Answer: Stage 3 of NREM sleep. Deep sleep dominated by delta waves under 4 Hz.
Flashcard 21: What is the effect of blue light exposure before bed?
Answer: Suppresses melatonin production. Disrupts natural melatonin release, delaying sleep onset.
Flashcard 22: What stage of sleep is characterized by sleep spindles?
Answer: Stage 2 of NREM sleep. Brief bursts of brain activity that help maintain sleep.
Flashcard 23: What is the primary effect of alcohol on sleep?
Answer: Disrupts REM sleep. Alcohol fragments sleep and reduces restorative REM phases.
Flashcard 24: Which brain structure is crucial for regulating sleep-wake cycles?
Answer: Hypothalamus. Contains the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the body's master clock.
Flashcard 25: What is the definition of sleep inertia?
Answer: Grogginess and impaired performance after waking. Temporary cognitive impairment immediately following awakening.
Flashcard 26: What is the main symptom of restless legs syndrome?
Answer: Uncomfortable urge to move the legs. Neurological condition causing irresistible urges to move legs.
Flashcard 27: What characterizes the transition from wakefulness to sleep?
Answer: Hypnogogic state. Drowsy state between wakefulness and sleep onset.
Flashcard 28: What is the function of sleep according to the memory consolidation theory?
Answer: Reinforces learning and memory. Sleep strengthens neural connections formed during learning.
Flashcard 29: What is the effect of chronic sleep deprivation on health?
Answer: Increased risk of chronic diseases. Persistent sleep loss increases cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk.
Flashcard 30: What is sleep paralysis?
Answer: Temporary inability to move or speak upon waking. REM muscle atonia persists briefly into waking consciousness.