Question 1

Which statement is true of sleep?

Accepted Answer

In a normal night, one passes through all stages of sleep, including REM, several times. It is not true that most of the night is spent in the deepest level of sleep (stage 4) (A). It is not accurate that one spends an hour or two at each stage in turn, spending the last few hours at stage 4 and then at REM (B). Additionally, it is not true that one goes through stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, in order, then alternates randomly between stages 1, 2, and 3 (D).

Question 2

Marcello has finished studying for a test. As he prepares to go to sleep, he wants to remember what he studied tonight when he takes the test tomorrow. To best meet his needs, he should ____.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that REM sleep is important for consolidating memories, especially those related to procedural memory (such as learning how to ride a bike or play an instrument). Therefore, experiencing as much REM sleep as possible can help Marcello remember what he studied for the test.

Question 3

Which individual is most likely experiencing REM sleep?

Accepted Answer

The description of Gene being paralyzed indicates that he is in REM sleep, as voluntary muscle movement is suppressed during this stage.

Question 4

Dr. Gates strongly advises Aaron and Brielle to make sure their infant does not sleep face down on soft surfaces. She states that that sleeping position has been highly correlated with a fatal infant disorder known as ____, even though exposure to cigarette smoke and genetic factors are also potential causes.

Accepted Answer

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the fatal infant disorder that has been correlated with sleeping face down on soft surfaces. The other choices, night tremors, DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), and sleep apnea, are not associated with this sleeping position.

Question 5

During the day, Edward feels groggy and disjointed. As a result, he finds it difficult to focus on his job. However, when he tries to go to sleep at night, Edward is often wide awake. If this persists, Edward may be experiencing ____.

Accepted Answer

Edward's inability to sleep at night and feeling groggy during the day are symptoms of insomnia, which is characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Sleep apnea involves interruptions in breathing during sleep, narcolepsy is a disorder that causes sudden and uncontrollable sleep attacks, and sleep terror disorder involves recurrent episodes of intense fear during sleep.

Question 6

You see a therapist because you have been suffering from insomnia for the past two months. The therapist discusses learning-based treatments that may help you, including ____.

Accepted Answer

Learning-based treatments refer to therapies that focus on changing behavior and thought patterns to achieve better sleep. Out of the given options, progressive relaxation training is a learning-based treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating insomnia. Sleeping pills may offer temporary relief, but they can also lead to dependency and undesirable side effects. The use of a nasal mask during sleep is mostly associated with treating sleep apnea. Weight loss may help reduce the risk of sleep apnea but is not directly related to treating insomnia.

Question 7

Sing Tung is given a new drug. As a result, his normal sleep cycle is altered. He moves from stage 0 to stages 1-2-3-4 and then abruptly awakens. The experimenter has recorded his brain activity. Which of the following is not characteristic of Sing Tung's altered sleep cycle?

Accepted Answer

Dream activity is typically associated with the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, which occurs after stages 1-2-3-4 have been completed. Sing Tung's altered sleep cycle does not include the presence of REM sleep, as he goes directly from stage 4 to waking abruptly. Therefore, a great deal of dream activity would not be expected to be present in his recordings.

Question 8

Which statement is the least plausible explanation of why we sleep?

Accepted Answer

While it may be true that some people enjoy the solitary nature of sleeping, it is not a primary reason why we sleep. The other choices are well-supported reasons for the necessity of sleep.

Question 9

Ozlem is flying from Chicago to Paris and she will be coming back after a week. Her symptoms of jet lag will ____.

Accepted Answer

Jet lag is generally worse when traveling eastward, like from Chicago to Paris, because it's harder for the body to adjust to a shorter day than to a longer one, as would be experienced when traveling westward back to Chicago.

Question 10

John, Paul, George, and Ringo are hooked up to electroencephalographs. John is in stage 3 sleep. Paul is also asleep, but he is dreaming. George just fell asleep a few minutes ago and is in stage 1 sleep. Ringo cannot fall asleep and is awake and mentally active. Whose EEG will look different than those produced by the other three?

Accepted Answer

The answer of John, Paul, George, and Ringo are hooked...

Question 11

Elvira has just bought a dream interpretation book and is very excited about trying to interpret her own dreams. When Elvira goes to sleep, she will be more likely to experience dreaming ____ in the night during ____ sleep.

Accepted Answer

Dreaming is more likely to occur in the later parts of the night during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This is because as the night progresses, the duration of REM sleep periods increases.

Question 12

Late at night, you see Steve Gutenberg on an infomercial talking about some sleeping aid and how important REM sleep is for daily functioning. Steve emphasizes one false assumption about REM sleep. What is it?

Accepted Answer

While REM sleep does occur more frequently later in the sleep cycle and one's EEG during REM sleep resembles that of a person who is awake, the false assumption emphasized by Steve Gutenberg is that more REM sleep is needed as one's age increases. In reality, the amount of REM sleep needed remains relatively stable throughout adulthood.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a characteristic of REM sleep?

Accepted Answer

During REM sleep, blood pressure and heart rate increase, not decrease, compared to other stages of sleep.

Question 14

In REM sleep, the EEG resembles that of a person who is awake and mentally active. However, the ____.

Accepted Answer

During REM sleep, the person's muscle tone decreases to the point of virtual paralysis, which is also known as muscle atonia. This is thought to prevent the sleeper from physically acting out their dreams and potentially harming themselves or others. While blood pressure and heart rate may be variable during REM sleep, they are generally not low or calm. Additionally, dreaming is actually most common during REM sleep, so choice B is incorrect. While the sleeper may be difficult to arouse during REM sleep, this is not necessarily a defining characteristic of this stage of sleep.

Question 15

Kira has been having trouble with her sleeping and eating patterns lately. Sometimes she sleeps from midnight until 6 a.m.; sometimes from noon until 7 p.m. She also eats at radically different times during the day. Her doctor should suspect that she is deficient in what hormone?

Accepted Answer

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles and is produced in the pineal gland during the night time. Kira's erratic sleeping patterns suggest that her melatonin levels may be imbalanced.

Question 16

If proper precautions or treatments are not taken, which sleep disorder is most likely to be fatal?

Accepted Answer

SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, is a sleep disorder that mainly affects infants and can result in death if proper precautions are not taken. Sleepwalking, narcolepsy, and REM behavior disorder may pose risks and cause disturbances, but they are usually not fatal if proper care is taken.

Question 17

Which statement about sleep deprivation is false ?

Accepted Answer

Going without sleep for one week may cause serious physical and mental health problems, but it is unlikely to cause permanent brain damage.

Question 18

REM sleep is beneficial because the locus coeruleus is ____ during that sleep stage, which improves the functioning of neurons that use ____ in the brain.

Accepted Answer

During REM sleep, the locus coeruleus, which is a primary source of brain norepinephrine, is inactive. This inactivity is thought to improve the functioning of neurons that use norepinephrine in the brain, facilitating various cognitive and emotional processes.

Question 19

Austin Powers travels from California to New York, chasing Dr. Evil across the country. Austin then experiences fatigue, irritability, inattention, and sleeping problems due to the disruption of his ____, which causes____.

Accepted Answer

Circadian rhythms are the natural 24-hour internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Disruption of this rhythm, as experienced by Austin Powers traveling across time zones, can cause jet lag symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, inattention, and sleeping problems. Sleep apnea and narcolepsy are sleep disorders unrelated to circadian rhythms or travel. Lucid dreaming refers to a specific type of dream state, but is not related to the physical effects of travel.

Question 20

After Merton has been sleeping for about ninety minutes, his heart begins to beat faster, his breathing grows fast and irregular, and his closed eyes begin to move back and forth. Merton is most likely experiencing ____.

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are characteristics of REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep during which most dreaming occurs. During REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly back and forth under the eyelids (hence the name "rapid eye movement"), and heart rate and respiration become faster and irregular. Night terrors occur during non-REM sleep, sleep apnea involves brief interruptions in breathing during sleep that do not typically involve changes in heart rate or eye movements, and stage 4 sleep (also known as delta sleep) is the deepest stage of non-REM sleep, with slow brain waves and very little bodily activity.

Quiz 9: Consciousness