Topic 8 (Wakefulness and Sleep) Assignment

1. What are the cycles of sleep?

There are several stages to the further elaborate the process of sleep, this
includes non-REM (deep sleep without rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye
movement). And these stages are typically arranged into sleep cycles, which come
again to repeat throughout the night. The sleep cycles are divided into the following
stages: NREM Stage 1 - this is the transition from wakefulness to sleep and brain
activity begins to decline, NREM Stage 2 - this is where our body prepares for deep
sleep during this stage, NREM Stage 3 and NREM Stage 4 together constitute slow
wave sleep (SWS) or deep sleep, slowing of heart rate, breathing rate, and brain
activity, also highly synchronized neuronal activity will occurr. Lastly, REM (Rapid
Eye Movement Sleep), this stage is characterized by rapid movement of the eyes,
increased brain activity, and vivid dreaming.

2. State all the stages of sleep.

As what it was mentioned above, The sleep cycles are divided into the following
stages:

Non-REM Sleep:

NREM 1 - this is the transition from wakefulness to sleep and brain activity begins to
decline

NREM 2 - this is where our body prepares for deep sleep during this stage; a slightly
deeper stage of sleep

NREM 3 - this where deep sleep slowly occurring. This stage is characterized by the
presence of delta brain waves.

NREM 4 - this stage involves deep, restorative sleep.

Note: Stages 3 and 4 are often combined and referred to as slow-wave sleep (SWS)

REM Sleep: Also know as paradoxical sleep - deep sleep in some ways, but light
sleep in other ways. REM sleep is the stage where most dreaming typically occurs.