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One of the important questions in sleep research is clearly defining the sleep state. This problem arises because sleep was traditionally defined as a state of consciousness and not as a physiological state, [14] [15] thus there was no clear definition of what minimum set of events constitute sleep and distinguish it from other states of partial or no consciousness.
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]
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]
The bunker experiment had far-reaching implications in the medical field, for example in understanding problems related to shift work and jet lag. [18] In addition, it allowed for a better understanding of affective disorders in relation to the synchronization of the internal circadian clock and the light-dark and sleep-wake cycles. [2]
Sleeping can be described as the lack of conscious awareness of the outside world, meaning large portions of the brain that receive and interpret signals are deactivated during this time, while dreaming is a specific state of sleep in which enhanced brain activity has been shown to occur, [1] theorizing the primary consciousness could be active ...
Polyphasic sleep can be caused by irregular sleep-wake syndrome, a rare circadian rhythm sleep disorder which is usually caused by neurological abnormality, head injury or dementia. [31] Much more common examples are the sleep of human infants and of many animals. Elderly humans often have disturbed sleep, including polyphasic sleep. [32]
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Young woman asleep over study materials. The relationship between sleep and memory has been studied since at least the early 19th century.Memory, the cognitive process of storing and retrieving past experiences, learning and recognition, [1] is a product of brain plasticity, the structural changes within synapses that create associations between stimuli.