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Slow-wave sleep (SWS), often referred to as deep sleep, is the third stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), where electroencephalography activity is characterised by slow delta waves. [ 2 ] Slow-wave sleep usually lasts between 70 and 90 minutes, taking place during the first hours of the night. [ 3 ]
Polysomnogram demonstrating slow-wave sleep. High amplitude EEG is highlighted in red. Slow-wave sleep (SWS), also known as Stage 3, is characterized by a lack of movement and difficulty of arousal. Slow-wave sleep occurring in both hemispheres is referred to as bihemispheric slow-wave sleep (BSWS) and is common among most animals.
And slow-wave sleep, or stage 3 of non-REM sleep, is especially vital for restorative rest. Most people get around 1.5 to two hours of slow-wave sleep if they get eight hours of shut-eye.
The optimal nap duration is around 10–20 minutes, as researchers have proven that it takes at least 30 minutes to enter slow-wave sleep, the deepest period of sleep. [44] Napping too long and entering the slow wave cycles can make it difficult to awake from the nap and leave one feeling unrested. This period of drowsiness is called sleep inertia.
The cause of sleepwalking is unknown. A number of, as yet unproven, hypotheses are suggested for why it might occur, including: delay in the maturity of the central nervous system, [6] increased slow wave sleep, [28] sleep deprivation, fever, and excessive tiredness. There may be a genetic component to sleepwalking.
During slow wave sleep, the cortex generates brief periods of activity and inactivity at 0.5–4 Hz, resulting in the generation of the delta waves of slow wave sleep. During this period, the thalamus stops relaying sensory information to the brain, however it continues to produce signals, such as spindle waves, that are sent to its cortical ...
The sleep cycle is an oscillation between the slow-wave and REM (paradoxical) phases of sleep. It is sometimes called the ultradian sleep cycle , sleep–dream cycle , or REM-NREM cycle , to distinguish it from the circadian alternation between sleep and wakefulness .
The onset of slow-wave sleep occurs approximately 30 minutes after falling asleep, therefore a nap should be limited to under 30 minutes to prevent waking during slow-wave sleep and enhancing sleep inertia. Furthermore, self-awakening from a short nap was shown to relieve disorientation of sleep inertia as opposed to a forced awakening, but ...