Fill in each of the blanks with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS.

• Sleep is a state of (1) __________ that almost all of us experience every night. It is
regulated by the
body clock, or (2) __________ located in the brain.
• The body clock responds to light cues, (3) __________ of the hormone melatonin at night
and switching
it off when it senses light.
• Sleep consists of four stages, occuring in cycles throughout the night:
▪ Stages one and two are light sleep - a (4) __________ from being awake to falling asleep.
Heart
rate and breathing begin to slow, body temperature falls, and muscles may (5) __________.
▪ Stage three is sometimes called delta sleep, due to the release of slow delta (6)
__________ during
this stage. Deep sleep starts to set in, and growth hormone is produced to (7) __________,
allowing
the body to repair itself.
▪ Dreams happen in stage four. During this stage, chemicals are released to prevent us from
acting
out our dreams. Although the eyes are closed, they (8) __________ as if in waking
condition.
• Compared to a century ago, humans are sleeping far less today. This is brought about by
modern
lifestyles, stress, and (9) __________.
• People who fail to get seven hours of sleep a day can suffer from (10) __________, thus
reducing life
expectancy.
KEY
1. unconsciousness and paralysis
2. circadian rhythm
3. ramping up production
4. transition
5. twitch
6. brainwaves
7. service bones and muscles
8. dart back and forth
9. the proliferation of technology
10. chronic conditions

Source: What happens when we sleep? – The Economist