The Four Stages Of Sleep-Wake Homeostasis
Introduction
In general, homeostasis is an internal, biochemical system that regulates the body's internal environment. These regulations can consist of maintaining properties such as acidity and temperature. Homeostasis is most effective because it can achieve this because it is in a stable and relatively consistent conditions. In sleep-wake homeostasis, an internal timer generates a homeostatic sleep drive or need for sleep. The timer is quite remarkable: the longer that we have been awake and active, the stronger the timer pulls at us to sleep. In total, there are four stages of sleep.
NREM Stage 1
During non-rapid eye movement (NREM), the brain waves on an electroencephalographic (EEG) recording tend to be slow but with high amounts of voltage. The heart rate becomes slow, the blood pressure lowers and the sleeper is moderately motionless. NREM sleep is divided into 3 stages of which lead to REM sleep.
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This is a relatively light stage of sleep. Stage 1 acts as a transition period between wakefulness and sleep.
• In Stage 1, the brain produces high amplitude theta waves, which are very slow brain waves.
• This period of sleep lasts only a brief time (around 5-10 minutes). If someone awakens during this time period they might report that they weren’t really asleep.
NREM Stage 2
Stage 2 is the second stage of sleep and can last for roughly 20 minutes. The brain starts to produce bursts of quick, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles. The heart rate begins to slow down and the body’s temperature starts to decrease.
During stage 2 sleep:
• People become less aware of their surroundings and less responsive to external stimuli
• Core body temperature starts to
In general, homeostasis is an internal, biochemical system that regulates the body's internal environment. These regulations can consist of maintaining properties such as acidity and temperature. Homeostasis is most effective because it can achieve this because it is in a stable and relatively consistent conditions. In sleep-wake homeostasis, an internal timer generates a homeostatic sleep drive or need for sleep. The timer is quite remarkable: the longer that we have been awake and active, the stronger the timer pulls at us to sleep. In total, there are four stages of sleep.
NREM Stage 1
During non-rapid eye movement (NREM), the brain waves on an electroencephalographic (EEG) recording tend to be slow but with high amounts of voltage. The heart rate becomes slow, the blood pressure lowers and the sleeper is moderately motionless. NREM sleep is divided into 3 stages of which lead to REM sleep.
• …show more content…
This is a relatively light stage of sleep. Stage 1 acts as a transition period between wakefulness and sleep.
• In Stage 1, the brain produces high amplitude theta waves, which are very slow brain waves.
• This period of sleep lasts only a brief time (around 5-10 minutes). If someone awakens during this time period they might report that they weren’t really asleep.
NREM Stage 2
Stage 2 is the second stage of sleep and can last for roughly 20 minutes. The brain starts to produce bursts of quick, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles. The heart rate begins to slow down and the body’s temperature starts to decrease.
During stage 2 sleep:
• People become less aware of their surroundings and less responsive to external stimuli
• Core body temperature starts to