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The circadian rhythm provides a person with a signal for when to sleep and when to wake up. [43] If circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle are misaligned, this might lead to negative affect and emotional instability. [44] It has been found that emotions vary depending on the circadian rhythm and the duration of how long one was awake. [45]
It is most readily observed in stages of sleep, for example, rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and the delta activity cycle. When awake, brainwaves are faster during the first half of the cycle which corresponds to feeling alert and focused. During the last 20 minutes brainwaves slow and as the body feels dreamy or tired.
The cognitive shuffle is based on Beaudoin’s somnolent information processing theory. [5] [13] The somnolent information processing theory postulates the existence of a sleep onset control system that evolved to ensure that falling asleep tends to happen when it is evolutionarily opportune (safe, timely) to fall asleep. [14]
EMG (electromyography) is a crucial method to distinguish between sleep phases: for example, a decrease of muscle tone is in general a characteristic of the transition from wake to sleep, [5] [6] and during REM sleep, there is a state of muscle atonia (paralysis), resulting in an absence of signals in the EMG. [5]
After sustained periods of sleep, both the speed and synchronicity of the neurons firing are shown to decrease. [5] Another effect of wakefulness is the reduction of glycogen held in the astrocytes, which supply energy to the neurons. Studies have shown that one of sleep's underlying functions is to replenish this glycogen energy source. [6]
Hori et al. regard sleep onset hypnagogia as a state distinct from both wakefulness and sleep with unique electrophysiological, behavioral and subjective characteristics, [10] [12] while Germaine et al. have demonstrated a resemblance between the EEG power spectra of spontaneously occurring hypnagogic images, on the one hand, and those of both ...
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The term polyphasic sleep was first used in the early 20th century by psychologist J. S. Szymanski, who observed daily fluctuations in activity patterns. [2] It does not imply any particular sleep schedule. The circadian rhythm disorder known as irregular sleep-wake syndrome is an example of polyphasic sleep in