Question 1

REM sleep has been called "paradoxical sleep" because:

Accepted Answer

During REM sleep, the brain is highly active, often more so than during waking hours, as evidenced by rapid eye movements and increased neural activity. However, the body is essentially paralyzed, with only minimal movements such as slight twitches. This paradoxical state of high mental activity and physical stillness is why REM sleep has been called "paradoxical sleep."

Question 2

What can sleep scientists say about people who do not get enough sleep?

Accepted Answer

Sleep deprivation can increase cortisol levels, which can cause negative impacts on the body such as weight gain, weakened immune system, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Question 3

James has been sleeping for about 90 minutes when his brain shows rapid, irregular waves. His blood pressure rises, his heart rate increases, and his skeletal muscles go limp. Which of the following is the most likely conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The description provided matches the physiological changes that occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This stage of sleep is characterized by rapid, irregular brain waves, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and muscle paralysis. Therefore, James is likely in the REM stage of sleep, which is a normal part of the sleep cycle.

Question 4

The deeper stages of NREM sleep are characterized by:

Accepted Answer

The deeper stages of NREM sleep (stages 3 and 4) are characterized by slow brain waves called delta waves.

Question 5

_______________ are occasionally emitted by the brain in the third stage of non-REM sleep.

Accepted Answer

Delta waves are the slowest and highest amplitude brain waves that are often emitted by the brain during the deepest stage of non-REM sleep, also known as slow wave sleep.

Question 6

The reason that REM sleep occurs is:

Accepted Answer

The exact reason why REM sleep occurs is still not fully understood, making "unknown" the most accurate answer. While there are theories suggesting REM sleep plays a role in memory consolidation, problem-solving, and tension release, the definitive purpose of REM sleep remains a subject of ongoing research.

Question 7

During the night, which two types of sleep alternate with each other in cycles that take approximately 90 minutes?

Accepted Answer

During the night, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep alternate with each other in cycles that take approximately 90 minutes. REM sleep is associated with dreaming, while NREM sleep is further divided into four stages of progressively deeper sleep.

Question 8

Chronic insomnia affects about _______________ of all adults.

Accepted Answer

Chronic insomnia affects about 10 percent of all adults. This condition is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing non-restorative sleep for at least three nights a week for a minimum of three months, despite adequate opportunity for sleep.

Question 9

Your cousin Brenda says she is suffering several symptoms and claims they are due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Which of the following symptoms that she cites is the most questionably linked to the menstrual cycle?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your cousin Brenda says she is suffering...

Question 10

Traditionally, there are _______________ stages of NREM sleep.

Accepted Answer

Traditionally, there are four stages of NREM sleep. They are defined based on the different patterns of neural activity observed through electroencephalography (EEG) recordings.

Question 11

REM sleep normally occurs for the first time:

Accepted Answer

REM sleep typically occurs about 70 to 90 minutes after sleep onset and then happens in approximately 90-minute cycles throughout the night.

Question 12

When researchers studied whether or not dreaming occurs in non-REM sleep, they found that:

Accepted Answer

Research has found that dreaming can occur during non-REM sleep, but the dreams tend to be shorter and less vivid than dreams experienced during REM sleep. Chronically sleep-deprived individuals may also experience more dream-like states during non-REM sleep, but this is not a consistent finding. The presence or absence of a corpus callosum does not impact the occurrence of dreaming during non-REM sleep.

Question 13

On an average, REM sleep periods last about _______________.

Accepted Answer

On average, REM sleep periods last about 20 minutes. REM sleep cycles, which are characterized by rapid eye movement and vivid dreaming, typically lengthen through the night, with the first cycle being the shortest and subsequent ones longer, but on average, a single REM period lasts around 20 minutes.

Question 14

During the night:

Accepted Answer

During the night, REM sleep periods become longer. This is because the body cycles through different stages of sleep, with each REM period becoming longer as the night progresses.

Question 15

_______________ are the short bursts of rapid, high-peaking waves that the brain emits in the second stage of non-REM sleep.

Accepted Answer

Sleep spindles are the short bursts of rapid, high-peaking waves that the brain emits in the second stage of non-REM sleep. Alpha waves are typically associated with relaxed wakefulness, while delta waves are slow waves that occur during deep sleep. There is no such thing as neuro spindles.

Question 16

Delta waves occur during:

Accepted Answer

Delta waves are high-amplitude, low-frequency brain waves that occur during deep NREM (non-REM) sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep. They are associated with restorative functions such as physical growth and repair, memory consolidation, and the secretion of hormones such as growth hormone. Delta waves are not typically present during waking or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is characterized by more active brainwaves and vivid dreaming.

Question 17

In _______________, a person experiences sudden unpredictable and irresistible attacks of sleepiness during the day.

Accepted Answer

Narcolepsy is characterized by sudden and unpredictable attacks of sleepiness during the day. People with narcolepsy may also experience sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations, and cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone).

Question 18

Judith is startled when her six-year-old daughter, Laura, sleepwalks into the family room. It is most likely that Laura is experiencing the _______________ stage of the sleep cycle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Judith is startled when her six-year-old daughter,...

Question 19

During sleep, periods of rapid eye movement (REM) alternate with non-REM sleep in a cycle that recurs about every:

Accepted Answer

During sleep, periods of REM alternate with non-REM sleep in a cycle that recurs about every 90 minutes. This cycle is repeated several times throughout the night, with each cycle lasting longer towards the end of the night.

Question 20

Periods of REM sleep alternate with periods of non-REM sleep in a cycle that recurs about every _______________ minutes.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is B, as it is well-established that periods of REM sleep alternate with periods of non-REM sleep in a cycle that recurs about every 90 minutes.

Quiz 5: Body Rhythms and Mental States