Asleeplaboratory,usuallylocatedatauniversityormedicalcenter,consistsofoneor

severalsmallbedroomsadjacenttoanobservationroom,wheretheexperimenterspends
thenight(tryingtostayawake).Theexperimenterpreparesthesleeperforelec
trophysiologicalmeasurementsbyattachingelectrodestothescalptomonitorthe
electroencephalogram(EEG)andtothechintomonitormuscleactivity,recordedasthe
electromyogram(EMG).Electrodesattachedaroundtheeyesmonitoreyemovements,
recordedastheelectrooculogram(EOG).Inaddition,otherelectrodesand
transducingdevicescanbeusedtomonitorautonomicmeasuressuchasheartrate,
respiration,andchangesintheabilityoftheskintoconductelectricity.
Wakefulness

typeofwakingEEGpattern:
Alphaactivityconsistsofregular,mediumfrequencywavesof812Hz.Thebrain
producesthisactivitywhenapersonisrestingquietly,notparticularlyarousedorexcited
andnotengagedinstrenuousmentalactivity(suchasproblemsolving).Althoughalpha
wavessometimesoccurwhenapersonseyesareopen,theyaremuchmoreprevalent
whentheyareclosed.
betaactivityconsistsofirregular,mostlylowamplitudewavesof1330Hz.Beta
activityshowsdesynchrony;itreflectsthefactthatmanydifferentneuralcircuitsinthe
brainareactivelyprocessinginformation.Desynchronizedactivityoccurswhena
personisalertandattentivetoeventsintheenvironmentoristhinkingactively.