CAS PS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Alpha Waves, Melatonin, Light Sleeper

• School: Boston University
• Department: Psychological & Brain Sciences
• Course: CAS PS 101
• Professor: Barry Grant

Document Summary

Sensing those things in the world, around us, and within ourselves. As body cools down, tend to fall asleep. As body heats up, tend to wake up. Exposure to light affects activity in suprachiasmatic nucleus [scn] (hypothalamus) Scn neurons are active during the day, melatonin is reduced, increases body temperature and alertness. Scn neurons not active during the night, melatonin is increased, easier transition to sleep/relaxation. Stage 2 sleep: sleep spindles and mixed eeg activity. Sleep spindles: short 1-2 second bursts of rapid activity. Rem sleep: low-voltage, high frequency beta waves (most of our dreaming) During dreaming, physiological arousal can reach daytime levels. There"s a cellular waste product, adenosine, how our body needs to purge and restore. Disturbances in the amount, timing, and quality of sleep. Disturbances in arousal and sleep stage transitions. Wake up frequently/too early and trouble falling back to sleep. Sleep reasonable amount but does not feel rested. One of the most common sleep disorders.