Sleep Cycle

Circadian Rhythm 5 stages of sleep

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Circadian Rhythm
25 hour people living in a 24 hour world Bodily and psychological processes ebb and flow in rhythm The largest EEG occur during sleep.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Awake: Beta Brainwaves Drowsy: Relaxed, Alpha Brainwaves Stage 1 Sleep: EEG moves to lower frequency patterns called Theta waves Stage 2 Sleep:Low frequency patterns are interrupted by short bursts of activity called Sleep Spindles and K Complexes and sleeper becomes difficult to awaken. Stage 3/4 Sleep: Slow wave sleep, in which the EEG patterns show activity called Delta Waves
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5 Stages of Sleep

REM Sleep
Characterized by Rapid Eye Movement and a high level of brain activity. EEG patterns become high frequency. The brain is as active as it is during waking.

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During REM Sleep

Sleepers waking during REM period report having dreams more often than those wakened during nonREM periods. Pulse Quickens Blood pressure rises Signs of sexual arousal Sleeper is very still other than rapid side to side movement of the eyes
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This graph shows how a typical nights sleep progresses through cycles of sleep stages using EEG and REM data. You cycle through REM every 90 minutes or so and period of REM last longer as the night goes on Deeper slow wave stages 3 and 4 disappear halfway through the night

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Sleep Needs and Deprivation

Over a lifetime we get about 1 hour of sleep for every 2 hours awake The world record for staying awake was 264 hours and 12 minutes Sleep following learning appears to be essential for memory consolidation When rats were forced to go without sleep their bodies began to shut down and they died within 21 days

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Deprivation
reduces mental acuity reduces reaction time increases irritability increases depression increases risk of accident and injury
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Mental and Physical Effects

REM deprivation can cause memory problems and excessive aggression Slow-wave deprivation can cause fatigue and hypersensitivity to muscle and bone pain

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Sleep Disorders
Insomnia Sleep Apnea Somnambulism Narcolepsy Sleep Paralysis Night Terrors
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INSOMNIA
Difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep

Treatment: Meds like Ambien that help induce sleep are often used in the treatment of insomnia. Benzodiazepines like Ativan are also commonly used. Both types are highly addictive, and meant for short term use. Learning better sleep habits and reducing strss are healthier choices in treating insomnia.

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Sleep Apnea

Disorder in which a person stops breathing for a brief periods while asleep Involuntary obstruction of the breathing passage Episodes are 10 minutes in length Treatment: The most common treatment is the use of a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) The machine uses a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth and gently blows air into the the throat to help keep breathing passages open during the night. Lifestyle changes like losing weight, sleeping on your side instead of your back and quitting smoking can also aid in the treatment of sleep apnea.

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Somnambulism (Sleep Walking)

Person arises and walks around while asleep More common in children peaking around age 11 or 12 As many as 25% of children experience at least one episode Happens early in the night usually during slow wave sleep Person may not remember Eyes are open in glassy stare Not usually linked to any additional problems other than hurting themselves It IS safe to wake a sleepwalker and return them to bed Treatment: Meds like Trazodone or Klonopine may be necessary for treatment to reduce risk of injury. If it is caused by an inderlying condition such as RLS or Sleep Apnea, once the underlying condition is treated the sleepwalking should stop.

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Narcolepsy

Disorder in which sudden sleep attacks occur in the middle of waking activities Intrusion of a dreaming state into waking and is often accompanied by unrelenting excessive sleepiness and uncontrollable sleep attacks lasting from 30 seconds to 30 minutes Has genetic basis, runs in families Treatment: There is no cure for Narcolepsy but stimulant drugs like Armodafinil may be prescribed to control the symptoms. Also planning short daytime naps may help control sudden sleep attacks.

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Sleep Paralysis
The experience of waking up unable to move Sometimes associated with Narcolepsy Person can experience pressure on chest Treatment: Improving sleep habits can help stop sleep paralysis attacks, anti-depressant medications can be used to help regulate sleep cycles.

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Night Terrors
Abrupt awakenings with panic and intense emotional arousal Mainly occurs in boys age 3-7 Happens most often in NREM early in sleep cycle Do not usually have dream content the sleeper can report Treatment: Treatment for night terrors isnt usually necessary. Reducing stress can often help prevent episodes, Children usually grow out of them by age 10.
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DREAM CONSCIOUSNESS

Dreams depart drastically from reality 5 major characteristics of dream consciousness that distinguish it from waking state Day residue Nightmares

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5 MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS OF DREAM CONSCIOUSNESS THAT DISTINGUISH IT FROM WAKING STATE

Intense Emotion Thought is Illogical Sensation is meaningful and generally vision is predominant Uncritical Acceptance Difficulty remembering dreams

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DAY RESIDUE

A dream which reflects prior waking experiences Does not usually include episodic memory Takes snapshots from day rather than retelling the stories

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NIGHTMARES
Frightening Dreams The average person has about 24 nightmares per year Some people experience nightmares every night Children have more than adults People who have gone through traumatic events tend to relive them

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DREAM THEORIES
Theory of Dreams (Freud) Dreams are confusing and obscure because the dynamic unconscious creates them precisely to be confusing and obscure Dreams begin with meaning Dreams represent wishes Some dreams are so unacceptable that the mind can only produce it in a disguised form
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PROBLEM WITH DREAM THEORIES

There are an infinite number of potential interpretations of any dream and finding the correct one is a matter of guesswork and convincing of the dreamer that your interpretation is correct

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SUPPRESSION STUDY

People who were told to suppress thoughts of a person before sleep dreamed about that person People who were told to think about a person before sleep dreamed less about that person.

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ACTIVATION-SYNTHESIS MODEL
Proposes that dreams are produced when the mind attempts to make sense of random neural activity that occurs in the brain during sleep Because the brain is deprived of senses, it translates neural activity instead in an effort to perceive and give meaning to brain activation The great interest that people take in interpreting their dreams upon waking may be an extension of the interpretive activity of the sleeping state Dreams begin randomly but meaning is added as the mind lends to interpretations (Unlike Freud)

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The Dreaming Brain

This image shows some of the patterns of activation and deactivation found in the dreaming brain

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The Dreaming Brain

Visual imagery is caused by occipital lobe during sleep You experience fewer auditory, even fewer tactile, and almost no olfactory or gustatory senses during sleep Planning center of the brain is inactive during sleep. The brain areas responsible for fear or emotion somehow work overtime in dreams this is clearly visible in fMRI scans the Amygdala is involved in responses to threatening or stressful events and is quite active during REM sleep

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The Dreaming Brain

People moving during sleep are probably not dreaming Brain specifically prohibits movement during dreams

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