This is what I need to study for my next exam:
SLEEP – CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS
Circadian rhythm –
1. Fluctuations in alertness, energy and mood over the course of the day.
Biological clock: ~24 hr period
2. These shifts are related to underlying bodily processes
Daily cycles occur in: hormone production, body T, blood pressure
3. Changes as we get older
EX: we don’t wake up as early now as we used to as kids
4. We seem to function better (both cognitively/ physically) in our peak time:
MEQ = “morningness eveningness questionnaire”
- college studens are mostly neutral&evening
- adults over 60 = 80% morning
5. Our circadian cycles run a little bit long. We see evidence of this in: Jet Lag (it is difficult to go from east to west), Monday morning
blues
Why Do We Sleep?
Nobody really knows, but here are a few theories…
1. Sleep provides some essential biological function
- Evidence: make up lost sleep, sleep deprivation effects: moody/irritability, mental work suffers (major accidents), immune system,
sleep debt, etc
- Problems with this theory: the amount of sleep any individual needs varies,
motivation can overcome cognitive deficits (like money),
too much sleep increases mortality rates (7-8 hrs optimal, 10 hours = 2x
as high mortality rate)
Paradox: when allowed to free-run, people sleep 9-10 hrs/day
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