1. Sleep Patterns and Sleep Theories
Unit 5
Sleep Patterns and Sleep Theories

2. States of Consciousness 2-4%
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following:
• Describe various states of consciousness and their impact on behavior.
• Discuss aspects of sleep and dreaming:
— stages and characteristics of the sleep cycle;
— theories of sleep and dreaming;
— symptoms and treatments of sleep disorders.
• Describe historic and contemporary uses of hypnosis (e.g., pain control,
psychotherapy).
• Explain hypnotic phenomena (e.g., suggestibility, dissociation).
• Identify the major psychoactive drug categories (e.g., depressants, stimulants)
and classify specific drugs, including their psychological and physiological
effects.
• Discuss drug dependence, addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.
• Identify the major figures in consciousness research (e.g., William James,
Sigmund Freud, Ernest Hilgard).

3. On The Nature of Consciousness
“Six hours for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool.”
Napoleon

4. Biological Rhythms and Sleep

5. Consciousness and Brain Activity
Consciousness arises from activity in the neural pathways (NOT the brain)
We measure this with EEG (electro-encephalograph)- device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp

6. Biological Rhythms and Sleep
Variations in consciousness are shaped in part by biological rhythms
Range from light/dark, seasons, and even phases of the moon (are we werewolves?)
Biological rhythms are periodic fluctuations in physiological functioning

7. Role of Circadian Rhythms
Circadian Rhythms are the 24 hr biological cycles found in humans and many other species
Extremely influential in the regulation of sleep
Blood pressure, urine production, hormonal secretions, and other physical functions
Body temperature varies rhythmically in daily cycles
Body temp drops as you fall asleep
Body temp rises as you wake up

8. Optimal time for sleep varies by person
There may be ideal bedtimes! Sleep quality is strongly correlated with health and well-being than sheer quantity of sleep
Researchers have looked at people who have rotating shifts
Work with lightness/darkness on adjusting biological clocks
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (in your hypothalamus) gets info from your retina, and sends it to your pineal glands who deals with melatonin and adjusting the biological clock

9. Jet Lag- when stuff gets out of sync!
Poor quality as well as difficulty falling asleep
Fatigue, sluggishness, and irritable
Readjustment takes about one day for each time zone
Easier to go West than East
Rotating work schedules
Negative effect on productivity
Quality of social relations
Physical and mental health
Increased risk for cardiovascular problems
Irregular menstrual cycles, reduced fertility, increased risk of premature birth

10. Realigning Circadian Rhythms
Small doses of melatonin can help regulate the clock and help reduce jet lag, however it is very tricky!
Carefully timed exposures to light
Carefully planned rotations also helped

11. The Sleep and Waking Cycle

13. Beta
Alpha
Theta
Delta
Becky ate the dog

14. Where do we research? sleep labs EEG
EMG- electromyograph (records muscular activity and tension)
EOG- electromyograph (records eye movements)

15. Patients are hooked up to the monitors (also some that monitor heart rate, breathing, pulse rate, and body temperature)
Fall asleep!

16. Sleep! It is an active state of the brain
Measurable electrical activity distinctly defines it
Hibernation- electrical activity essentially stops (which makes it not simply sleeping)
Only occurs in animals with highly developed brains
Dolphins do not sleep!

17. Cycling Through the Stages of Sleep
The onset of sleep is gradual with no obvious transition point
Average time to fall asleep is 25 minutes
Depends on a variety of factors
How long since the last time asleep
Recent caffeine or drug intake
Stress level, etc
All non REM stages are referred to as NREM-1/2/(3/4) now due to the new American Academy of Sleep Medicine classifiication

18. NREM-1 (non Rem stage 1) Brief, transitional stage of sleep
Lasts about 1-7 minutes
Breathing and heart rate slows down
Alpha waves decline (you are getting drowsy)  theta waves
Hallucinations: sensory experiences the occur without a sensory stimulus
Hypnic jerks- brief muscular contractions (hypnagogic sensations)

19. NREM-2
Lasts minutes
Body temperature drops, heart rate stabilizes
Experience sleep spindles, brief bursts of higher-frequency brain waves, along with a mix of EEG activity
Eventually brain waves become higher in amplitude and slower in frequency, moving the body into stage 3 sleep…

20. NREM-3 Transitional stage of sleep Lasts about 30 minutes
Brain waves become larger and slower (delta waves)
Referred to as slow-waves sleep (SWS)
* Children likely to wet the bed during this stage

21. Brain Waves during Sleep

22. REM Sleep Rapid Eye Movement sleep
A recurring sleep stage in which vivid dreams commonly occur
Also known as paradoxical sleep because the muscles are relaxed, except for minor twitches, but other body systems are active
Heart rate rises, breathing becomes rapid and irregular, eye movements that signal the beginning of a dream

23. The Sleep Cycle
The sequence of sleep stages, from light sleep to deep sleep to light sleep to REM sleep, is repeated several times each night
The entire cycle repeats itself about every 90 minutes
NREM stages become shorter as the night progresses
Most individuals who sleep 6-9 hours per night have 3-5 periods of REM sleep. That means that almost everyone has several dreams per night
37% of people report not having dreams, but 80% will remember them if woken during REM sleep

24. Sleep Patterns? Sleep patterns are genetically influenced
Some people may only need 6, others may need 9!
Sleep patterns are also culturally influenced
US and Canada, we sleep about 7-8 hrs a night
We sleep less now than we did one hundred years ago

25. Suprachiasmic Nucleus (SCN)
Have you ever woken up because of the morning sun because you didn’t shut your blinds?
Bright morning light triggers light-activating light-sensitive retinal proteins, which trigger signals to the SCN (pair of grain-sized, 10,000 cell clusters in the pineal gland to decrease its production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin

26. Contemporary Sleep Theories (why do we sleep?)
Sleep protects- our ancestors who didn’t wander around cliffs in the darkness were more likely to produce ancestors
Sleep helps us recuperate- helps restore brain tissue/time to repair
Sleep helps us to restore and rebuild our fading memories
Sleep feeds creative thinking (dreams)
Sleep supports growth (growth hormones released/improves physical exercise-new theory!-)

27. Sleep Protects
Evolutionary- when it is dark outside, you are better off in a safe place
Animals with the greatest need to graze and the least ability to hide tend to sleep less

28. Sleep Helps Us Recuperate
Restore and repair brain tissue
Sleeping gives neurons time to repair themselves, while pruning or weakening unused connections
“When consciousness leaves your house, brain construction workers come in for a makeover.” (Myers, p. 230)

29. Sleep Helps Us Restore and Rebuild Our Fading Memories of the Day’s Experiences
Sleep consolidates our memories- strengthens and stabilizes neural memory traces
Better memory of recently recalled events
Neural activity during SWS re-enacts and promotes recall of prior novel experiences

30. Sleep Feeds Creative Thinking
Dreams have inspired noteworthy literary, artistic, and scientific achievements
People solve problems with greater insight
Better at spotting connections between materials
----SLEEP ON IT

31. Sleep Supports Growth
Pituitary gland releases a growth hormone necessary for muscle development
Can improve athletic ability