Sleep Stages & Theories
What stage of sleep includes most of your dreams and is called "paradoxical sleep"?
What is REM sleep?
Ethan lies in bed for hours every night, unable to fall asleep even though he's tired. He's been really anxious about school lately. What disorder is he showing signs of?
What is insomnia?
These waves are active when you're calm and drowsy.
What are alpha waves?
Ella drinks 2 cups of coffee before a test and suddenly feels more awake and alert, by blocking adenosine receptors to increase alertness? What kind of drug is she using?
What is caffeine?
After staying up late studying for a test, Liam finally gets a full night’s sleep. The next day, he remembers the material better than before. What sleep-related process helped store those new memories?
What is memory consolidation?
During a sleep study, doctors notice short bursts of rapid brain activity called “sleep spindles” in a person who’s not quite in deep sleep yet. What stage of sleep are they in?
What is NREM 2?
This disorder causes people to stop breathing during sleep, often linked to obesity.
What is sleep apnea?
Your internal 24-hour biological clock that regulates sleep and temperature is called what?
What are circadian rhythms?
Marcus takes a drug at a party that makes him feel extremely energetic and euphoric. Later, doctors say it boosted dopamine by blocking reuptake. What drug did he likely take?
What is cocaine?
Maya pulls an all-nighter to finish a project. The next night, her dreams feel vivid and she gets more REM sleep than usual. What is this called?
What is REM rebound?
Jamie is lying in bed when he suddenly jerks awake, feeling like he's falling off a cliff. This keeps happening right as he's dozing off. What is Jamie experiencing, and in what sleep stage?
What are hypnogogic sensations in NREM 1?
In class, Maria suddenly collapses asleep while presenting. Her brain skips straight to REM sleep without warning. What sleep disorder does she likely have?
What is narcolepsy?
You're in class taking a timed quiz, fully focused and alert. Your brain is actively engaged and processing information quickly. What type of brain waves are present?
What are beta waves?
After being put on antidepressants, Jordan noticed her mood stabilized, her sleep improved, and she was finally hungry again. The drug increased which neurotransmitter?
What is serotonin?
After studying vocabulary all night, Kayla has a dream about taking a quiz. Researchers believe this shows her brain storing new memories. What theory explains this?
What is the consolidation theory of dreaming?
After a long day of studying, Sarah falls into a deep, restful sleep. During this stage, her body repairs itself, and her brain processes new information. What stage of sleep is Sarah likely in during this restorative period?
What is NREM 3?
Alex's roommate reports that he thrashes and punches in his sleep while yelling during dreams. Doctors discover his muscles aren’t paralyzed during REM. What disorder is this?
What is REM Behavior Disorder?
As it gets darker outside, your body naturally starts releasing a hormone that makes you feel sleepy and helps control your sleep-wake cycle. What is this hormone?
What is melatonin?
After breaking her arm, Sarah was prescribed a drug that mimics endorphins to ease her pain. What type of drug is this?
What are opioids?
In a memory experiment, subjects deprived of REM sleep performed worse. What does this support about REM’s function?
What is the role of REM in memory consolidation?
Which dream theory says the brain is organizing and storing memories during REM sleep?
What is Consolidation Dream Theory?
During the night, a woman frequently gets out of bed, walks around the house, and even prepares snacks, all while still asleep. She has no memory of these events the next morning. What stage is she most likely in?
What is NREM 3?
After flying from Atlanta to Tokyo, Layla finds herself wide awake at 3 a.m. and falling asleep at noon. Her sleep schedule is off. What is this disruption called and which biological system is affected?
What is circadian rhythm disruption (jet lag)?
After taking painkillers daily for months, John needs higher doses to feel the same relief. When he tries to stop, he feels anxious and sick. What is this condition called?
What is addiction?
Looking at a sleep graph, David sees his REM periods get longer as the night goes on, while NREM 3 gets shorter. What does this pattern say about how our sleep is structured?
What is the progression of 90-minute sleep cycles?