Psych 1010 Chapter 4

Describe areas of the brain involved in sleep

Some of these areas include the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the pons. As already mentioned, the hypothalamus contains the SCN—the biological clock of the body—in addition to other nuclei that, in conjunction with the thalamus, regulate slow-wave sleep. The pons is important for regulating rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (National Institutes of Health, n.d.).

Insomnia

Symptoms for at least three nights a week for at least one month's time Treatment: people who suffer from insomnia might limit their use of stimulant drugs (such as caffeine) or increase their amount of physical exercise during the day. Some people might turn to over-the-counter (OTC) or prescribed sleep medications to help them sleep, but this should be done sparingly because many sleep medications result in dependence and alter the nature of the sleep cycle, and they can increase insomnia over time.

Explain how depressants impact nervous system activity

With repeated use, such as alcohol, a person becomes physically dependent upon the substance and will exhibit signs of both tolerance and withdrawal. Psychological dependence on these drugs is also possible. Therefore, the abuse potential of central nervous system depressants is relatively high.

expectation-fulfillment theory

posits that dreaming serves to discharge emotional arousals (however minor) that haven't been expressed during the day.

continual-activation theory

proposes that dreaming is a result of brain activation and synthesis. Dreaming and REM sleep are simultaneously controlled by different brain mechanisms.

sleep debt

result of insufficient sleep on a chronic basis include decreased levels of alertness and mental efficiency

stage 2 sleep

second stage of sleep; the body goes into deep relaxation; characterized by the appearance of sleep spindles

activation-synthesis theory

states that dreams don't actually mean anything.

threat-simulation theory

suggests that dreaming should be seen as an ancient biological defense mechanism.

stage 1 sleep

first stage of sleep; transitional phase that occurs between wakefulness and sleep; the period during which a person drifts off to sleep

adaptive sleep theory

hypothesis of sleep holds that our sleep patterns evolved as an adaptive response to predatory risks, which increase in darkness. Thus we sleep in safe areas to reduce the chance of harm. Again, this is an intuitive and appealing explanation for why we sleep. Perhaps our ancestors spent extended periods of time asleep to reduce attention to themselves from potential predators.

cognitive sleep theory

involves sleep's importance for cognitive function and memory formation (Rattenborg, Lesku, Martinez-Gonzalez, & Lima, 2007). Indeed, we know sleep deprivation results in disruptions in cognition and memory deficits (Brown, 2012), leading to impairments in our abilities to maintain attention, make decisions, and recall long-term memories. Moreover, these impairments become more severe as the amount of sleep deprivation increases involves sleep's importance for cognitive function and memory formation (Rattenborg, Lesku, Martinez-Gonzalez, & Lima, 2007). Indeed, we know sleep deprivation results in disruptions in cognition and memory deficits (Brown, 2012), leading to impairments in our abilities to maintain attention, make decisions, and recall long-term memories. Moreover, these impairments become more severe as the amount of sleep deprivation increases

Hypnosis

is a state of extreme self-focus and attention in which minimal attention is given to external stimuli. In the therapeutic setting, a clinician often will use relaxation and suggestion in an attempt to alter the thoughts and perceptions of a patient.

Sleep apnea

is defined by episodes during which a sleeper's breathing stops. These episodes can last 10-20 seconds or longer and often are associated with brief periods of arousal. While individuals suffering from sleep apnea may not be aware of these repeated disruptions in sleep, they do experience increased levels of fatigue. One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea involves the use of a special device during sleep. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device includes a mask that fits over the sleeper's nose and mouth, which is connected to a pump that pumps air into the person's airways, forcing them to remain open,

opioid

is one drug that includes heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine. They have analgesic properties; that is, they decrease pain. They mimic this endogenous painkilling mechanism, have an extremely high potential for abuse.

Meditation

is the act of focusing on a single target (such as the breath or a repeated sound) to increase awareness of the moment.

narcolepsy

is treated using psychomotor stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines. These drugs promote increased levels of neural activity. It is associated with reduced levels of the signaling molecule hypocretin in some areas of the brain, and the traditional stimulant drugs do not have direct effects on this system.

hormone secretions involved in sleep

melatonin, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and growth hormone (National Institutes of Health, n.d.)

rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

period of sleep characterized by brain waves very similar to those during wakefulness and by darting movements of the eyes under closed eyelids

non-REM (NREM):

period of sleep outside periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

stage 3 sleep

third stage of sleep; deep sleep characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta waves

circadian rhythm

a biological rhythm that takes place over a period of about 24 hours.

Stimulants

are drugs that tend to increase overall levels of neural activity. Many of these drugs act as agonists of the dopamine neurotransmitter system. Dopamine activity is often associated with reward and craving; therefore, drugs that affect dopamine neurotransmission often have abuse liability. Drugs in this category include cocaine, amphetamines (including methamphetamine), cathinones (i.e., bath salts), MDMA (ecstasy), nicotine, and caffeine.

Consciousness

describes our awareness of internal and external stimuli

individuals diagnosed with a substance use disorder...

there is a compulsive pattern of drug use that is often associated with both physical and psychological dependence.