Question 1

Why are antidepressant medications sometimes used to treat narcolepsy?

Accepted Answer

Antidepressant medications are sometimes used to treat narcolepsy because they suppress REM sleep, which can trigger cataplexy. While antidepressants are primarily used to treat depression, they can also be effective in treating narcolepsy symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy.

Question 2

According to Burkhalter and colleagues (2015), what is a newer treatment that may help people with circadian rhythm problems readjust their sleep patterns?

Accepted Answer

Bright light therapy is a newer treatment that can help people with circadian rhythm problems by simulating natural sunlight, which can help reset the body's internal clock and improve sleep patterns.

Question 3

When do sleep terrors and sleepwalking generally occur?

Accepted Answer

Sleep terrors and sleepwalking generally occur during NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep, usually in the first third of the night.

Question 4

What are two factors that help regulate our natural sleep/wake cycles?

Accepted Answer

Melatonin and light are the two primary factors that help regulate our natural sleep/wake cycles. Melatonin is a hormone that is released by the pineal gland in response to darkness and helps us feel sleepy, while exposure to light (particularly natural daylight) can help regulate our circadian rhythm and make us feel more awake during the day. Other factors such as psychological factors and serotonin can also affect our sleep, but they are not as directly involved in regulating our natural sleep/wake cycles as melatonin and light.

Question 5

Which individual is least likely to experience insomnia?

Accepted Answer

Insomnia can affect people of any age, gender or background, but studies have shown that women are more likely to experience insomnia than men. Additionally, insomnia can become more common with age, so a male senior would be more likely to experience insomnia than a male child. Therefore, a male child is the least likely to experience insomnia.

Question 6

Carrie has insomnia and her doctor thinks that a biological factor is contributing to the problem.What might that biological factor be?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Carrie has insomnia and her doctor thinks...

Question 7

While a patient sleeps, which of the following is NOT collected in the data of a polysomnographic evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Polysomnographic evaluation typically includes monitoring of muscle movements, respiration, and brain waves. However, metabolic rate is not typically measured during a polysomnographic evaluation.

Question 8

Rose has been taking over-the-counter sleeping pills for several weeks because of the disrupted sleep patterns she experienced from frequent international travelling.When she stopped the medication, she experienced difficulty falling and staying asleep.What do we call this condition?

Accepted Answer

The condition characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep after stopping the use of sleeping pills is called rebound insomnia.

Question 9

John reports not feeling refreshed and rested even though he has slept the whole night.What type of disorder might John be suffering from?

Accepted Answer

John's experience of not feeling refreshed despite sleeping the whole night suggests he might be suffering from a type of dyssomnia, which includes disorders that cause difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or that involve excessive sleepiness. This category encompasses conditions that affect the amount, quality, and timing of sleep, unlike parasomnias, which involve abnormal movements, behaviors, emotions, perceptions, or dreams that occur while falling asleep, sleeping, between sleep stages, or during arousal from sleep.

Question 10

People who have unrealistic expectations such as "I must sleep a full eight hours every night, or I will be unable to function" are more likely to experience insomnia.What does this example show might influence insomnia?

Accepted Answer

The example of having unrealistic expectations demonstrates the role of cognition, or the way that thinking and beliefs can influence sleep behaviors and insomnia.

Question 11

If a person spends 10 percent of "bed time" awake, what is their sleep efficiency?

Accepted Answer

Sleep efficiency is the percentage of time spent in bed actually sleeping. Therefore, if a person spends 10 percent of their "bed time" awake, they are sleeping 90 percent of the time. Therefore, the sleep efficiency is 90.

Question 12

Fred has been having a great deal of trouble initiating and maintaining sleep.He guesses that he is sleeping about three hours each night.He complains that he feels terrible during the day.In addition, Fred has always experienced some anxiety, but it recently increased tremendously.How can we characterize Fred's experience?

Accepted Answer

Sleep problems are commonly associated with anxiety, and can both be a cause and a result of each other. Additionally, Fred's symptoms of feeling terrible during the day and having trouble initiating and maintaining sleep align with the criteria for primary insomnia. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 13

Why are health problems arguably linked to sleep problems?

Accepted Answer

The loss of even a few hours of sleep reduces immune functioning, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses and health problems. Sleep is essential for proper immune system function and the body's ability to fight off infections and diseases.

Question 14

What did the research by Adachi and colleagues (2009) show in relation to the value of educating parents about the sleep of their young children?

Accepted Answer

The research by Adachi and colleagues (2009) showed that children whose parents received education about sleep experienced fewer sleep problems.

Question 15

Recent Canadian data suggests that many mothers frequently bed-share with their infant in their first year.What is the approximate percentage of mothers that engage in this behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 33% of mothers in Canada engage in bed-sharing with their infants in the first year.

Question 16

Simon sometimes wakes up feeling that there are other people in the room, but he is unable to move or say anything.What is Simon most likely experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Simon is experiencing sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations, which are common symptoms of narcolepsy. The fact that he sometimes wakes up feeling that there are other people in the room suggests that he may be experiencing hypnagogic hallucinations. The inability to move or speak during these episodes is a characteristic of sleep paralysis. Hypersomnia is another sleep disorder that may involve hypnagogic hallucinations, but it is less likely since Simon is also experiencing sleep paralysis. Cataplexy, another symptom of narcolepsy, involves sudden loss of muscle tone and is not described in this scenario.

Question 17

In addition to medication and mechanical devices, what other medical treatment is used for severe sleep apnea?

Accepted Answer

Surgery may be used as a treatment option for severe sleep apnea if other methods have not been successful, such as removing excess tissue from the throat or correcting structural abnormalities. Progressive relaxation, changing sleep schedules, and neck muscle exercises may be helpful in managing milder cases, but are not typically used as primary treatments for severe sleep apnea.

Question 18

Which term refers to the very rare degenerative brain disorder that causes a total lack of sleep, eventually leading to death?

Accepted Answer

Fatal familial insomnia is a very rare degenerative brain disorder that causes a total lack of sleep, eventually leading to death. Primary insomnia refers to regular difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep that is not related to another medical condition. Atypical insomnia and medical insomnia are not recognized terms for specific sleep disorders.

Question 19

Andreas' therapist is suggesting therapy for his insufficient sleep and depression.What therapy is the therapist likely to suggest based on prior research?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often recommended for treating both sleep issues and depression, as it addresses the underlying thought patterns and behaviors contributing to these conditions.

Question 20

What characterizes obstructive sleep apnea?

Accepted Answer

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by the interruption of airflow due to a physical blockage in the airway, while respiratory effort continues.

Quiz 10: Sexual Dysfunctions, Paraphilic Disorders, and Gender Dysphoria