L1 Introduction to Sleep Flashcards
(17 cards)
Why should we study sleep?
To clarify the functions of sleep
To understand the impact of sleep deprivation
To develop effective prevention and intervention
Which areas of psychology is sleep involved in?
Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Health Psychology
Clinical Psychology
What is sleep?
A naturally occurring state which is periodic and recurring
It involves both the mind and the body, and is a temporary suspension of consciousness
There is relaxation and inactivity of the muscles
How is sleep variable across species?
Sleep in animals varies widely in the way it looks and its duration, so it is difficult to draw comparisons
Only half of a dolphin’s brain sleeps at a time
What are the functions of sleep?
Restoration
Energy conservation
Brain function (memory consolidation and emotional regulation)
What affects our ability to sleep?
Technology
Stimulants
Stress/Anxiety
Environment e.g. temperature, light
What was the reading?
Siegel (2008)
What can be seen during non-REM sleep?
Cortical release of acetylcholine is minimal
What pattern of NTs can be seen in REM sleep?
Noradrenergic, serotonergic and histaminergic neurons, which are tonically active throughout waking states are silent in REM sleep
What is noradrenergic activity linked to?
Reduction in noradrenergic neuron activity has been linked to reduced muscle tone in REM sleep
What can be concluded about eye closure?
Although eye closure is correlated with sleep, individuals can close their eyes for long periods of time with completely unimpaired consciousness
What happens if we reduce our sleep for 1 or 2 hours?
We will be sleepy the next day and when allowed to sleep we will repay this ‘sleep debt’ by significantly increasing sleep time
What about unicellular organisms?
There has been no claim of sleep occurrence in unicellular organisms
What do drosophila show?
A behavioural state which satisfies all the behavioural criteria of sleep
What about sleep in insects?
Clearly the anatomical and some of the neurochemical properties of sleep cannot exist in insects because of the differences in the structure of their nervous system
What can be seen in birds?
Birds have been reported to have both REM and non-REM sleep, although REM sleep periods tend to be shorter than those in most mammals
Do all animals sleep?
Unsure as fewer than 50 of nearly 60,000 vertebrate species have been tested for all of the criteria that define sleep
