The chapter ends with a discussion about how sleep patterns change over an individual’s life span. Sleep and circadian-generating systems are also reviewed. This chapter provides an overview of basic sleep physiology and describes the characteristics of REM and NREM sleep. Although its function remains to be fully elucidated, sleep is a universal need of all higher life forms including humans, absence of which has serious physiological consequences. Humans spend about one-third of their lives asleep, yet most individuals know little about sleep. In addition, the sleep-wake system is thought to be regulated by the interplay of two major processes, one that promotes sleep and one that maintains wakefulness. Circadian rhythms, the daily rhythms in physiology and behavior, regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Each has unique characteristics including variations in brain wave patterns, eye movements, and muscle tone. NREM sleep is divided into stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, representing a continuum of relative depth. There are two types of sleep, non-rapid eye movement ( NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement ( REM) sleep. ![]() ![]() ![]() Humans spend about one-third of their lives asleep. CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter provides a brief overview of sleep physiology and how sleep patterns change over an individual’s life span.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |