"Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and sensory activity is inhibited to a certain extent."
The importance of getting adequate sleep and understanding how sleep impacts overall health and well-being, including tips for improving sleep quality.
Circadian rhythm: The internal biological clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and other bodily functions.
Sleep stages: The different stages of sleep, including REM and non-REM, and their respective characteristics.
Sleep hygiene: The habits and practices that can promote healthy sleep, such as consistent sleep schedule and creating a comfortable sleep environment.
Sleep disorders: The conditions that can disrupt sleep, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome.
Sleep deprivation: The consequences of not getting enough sleep, including fatigue, impaired cognitive function, and increased risk of health problems.
Napping: The benefits and drawbacks of taking a nap, and tips on how to nap effectively.
Dreams: The nature of dreams, their possible meanings, and their relationship with sleep.
Melatonin: The hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness, and its role in sleep.
Sleep and mental health: The bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health, and the impact of sleep on mental health disorders.
Sleep and physical health: The impact of sleep on physical health, including its relationship with chronic diseases and immune system function.
Sleep tracking: The tools and methods for monitoring and analyzing sleep patterns.
Sleep aids: The options for improving sleep quality, including medication, supplements, and lifestyle changes.
REM Sleep: Rapid Eye Movement sleep, which is a deep stage of sleep where the brain is highly active, and the eyes move quickly.
NREM Sleep: Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep- This type of sleep is defined by the absence of rapid eye movement and is divided into three stages.
Light Sleep: A stage of NREM sleep characterized by slower brainwaves and lighter sleep.
Deep Sleep: A stage of NREM sleep that is critical for the restoration of the body and the brain.
Delta Sleep: A stage of deep sleep characterized by very slow brainwaves.
Stage 1 Sleep: The transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep characterized by slower brainwaves and a decrease in muscle activity.
Stage 2 Sleep: A stage of NREM sleep characterized by bursts of brain activity called sleep spindles.
Stage 3 Sleep: The deepest stage of NREM sleep characterized by delta waves.
Hypnagogic Sleep: The state of drowsiness between wakefulness and sleep.
Hypnopompic Sleep: The state of drowsiness between sleep and wakefulness.
Fragmented Sleep: A type of sleep characterized by frequent awakenings.
Insomnia: The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Sleep Apnea: A sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.
Narcolepsy: A chronic sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden onset of sleep.
Parasomnias: A group of sleep disorders characterized by abnormal behavior during sleep, such as sleepwalking, talking, or eating.
Bruxism: A sleep disorder characterized by teeth grinding or clenching.
Restless Legs Syndrome: A sleep disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to move the legs during sleep.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder: A disorder characterized by recurring movements of the limbs during sleep.
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: A sleep disorder characterized by a delay in the timing of the circadian rhythm, resulting in a later-than-normal sleep onset and waking time.
Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome: A sleep disorder characterized by an earlier-than-normal sleep onset and waking time.
"While sleep differs from wakefulness in terms of the ability to react to stimuli, it still involves active brain patterns, making it more reactive than a coma or disorders of consciousness."
"During sleep, the body alternates between two distinct modes: REM and non-REM sleep."
"Although REM stands for 'rapid eye movement', this mode of sleep has many other aspects, including virtual paralysis of the body."
"Dreams are a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep."
"During sleep, most of the body's systems are in an anabolic state, helping to restore the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems."
"Sleep is vital for maintaining mood, memory, and cognitive function."
"The internal circadian clock promotes sleep daily at night."
"Sleep is a highly conserved behavior across animal evolution, likely going back hundreds of millions of years."
"Humans may suffer from various sleep disorders, including dyssomnias such as insomnia, hypersomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea; parasomnias such as sleepwalking and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder; bruxism; and circadian rhythm sleep disorders."
"The use of artificial light has substantially altered humanity's sleep patterns."
"Common sources of artificial light include outdoor lighting and the screens of electronic devices such as smartphones and televisions."
"Electronic devices emit large amounts of blue light, a form of light typically associated with daytime."
"This disrupts the release of the hormone melatonin needed to regulate the sleep-cycle."
"Sleep helps restore the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems."
"Sleep plays a large role in the function of the endocrine and immune systems."
"The diverse purposes and mechanisms of sleep are the subject of substantial ongoing research."
"Some examples of dyssomnias are insomnia, hypersomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea."
"Some examples of parasomnias are sleepwalking and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder."
"Exposure to artificial light, particularly blue light emitted by electronic devices, disrupts the sleep-wake cycle by affecting the release of melatonin."