working and sleeping rhythms

consciousness * our awareness of ourselves and our environment

level of information processing * stephen kosslyn and oliver koenig suggest that the brain event are to consciousness what a guitar’s individual notes are to a chord. * As we experience the chord an instant after the notes are present so consciousness is known to lag behind the brain events that evoke it. Biological Rhythms
Biological rhythms * periodic physiological fluctuations
Annual cycles * on an annual cycle, geese migrate, bears hibernate and human may experience seasonal variations in appetite, sleep lengths, and moods. twenty eight days cycle * the female menstrual cycle averages 28 days. twenty four hour cycles * humans experience 24 hr cycles of varying and falling alertness, body temperature and growth hormone secretion.

The rhythms of sleep
Circadian rhythms * the biological clock ; regular bodily rhythms that occurs on 24 hr cycle

* a transcontinental flight disrupts our circadian rhythms and we experience jet lag mainly because are awake when our circadian rhythms cires sleep.

* we can reset our biological clocks by adjusting our sleep schedules.

Sleeps stages

* there is also a biological rhythm during our sleep, about 90 or 100 minutes we pass through a cycle of five distinct sleep stages.
Rem sleep * rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occurs.
Alpha waves * the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake stage
Sleep
* periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness- as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation.
Delta waves * the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep. * the sleep cycle repeats itself about every 90 minutes. as the night wears on the deep stage 4 sleep get progressively briefer and then disappears.

Sleeps functions * sleeps helps us recuperate, it helps