9/12/2023 0 Comments Unable to wake up from deep sleepNotably, from N1 to N3, the waves we see on the computer become larger in amplitude and lower in frequency, eventually resulting in that "slow-wave sleep" (deep sleep) from which we so want to avoid a jarring wake-up call.Ībout every 90 minutes, we slip into REM, which is characterized by EEG waves that resemble wake, whole-body muscle paralysis, and-yes-rapid movement of the eyes. As an individual proceeds throughout the night, several characteristic features define each stage on the polysomnogram. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine currently recognizes four (formerly five) stages of sleep: three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages (N1, N2, N3), and REM. In addition to the EEG, various sensors are also placed on the body to detect breathing and movement throughout the night. These fluctuations appear like waves on the computer monitor. These electrodes pick up voltage fluctuations in ionic current flow across the particular area of neurons below which each electrode is strategically placed. Polysomnography ( poly="many," somnus="sleep," graphein="to write") comprises a series of electrodes (the electroencephalogram, or EEG) designed to measure cortical brain activity. How is sleep measured in the first place? To understand the premise of these apps, we must first understand how scientists quantify sleep: polysomnography. What's the verdict on sleep-tracking apps? How do they work, and how accurate are they? Is it all a big scam, or perhaps the placebo effect at work? So when a friend told me that he only feels refreshed after (according to his sleep-tracking app) eight REM cycles, I got a little skeptical, given the average person will only experience four or five REM periods per night. It's such a big deal that, in the sleep laboratory, we as techs are instructed not to wake participants if they're in REM, even if the experimental recording time is over. Sleep researchers call this phenomenon "sleep inertia." The idea is that interrupting the "wrong" sleep cycle stage, such as slow-wave ("deep") sleep or REM (rapid eye movement, when dreaming occurs), results in grogginess upon awakening, as many of us can attest. The website and smartphone apps like Sleep Cycle use the average human's sleep pattern to determine the best window of time that you should wake up. "When I use it right, I feel less groggy." People like to learn about (and treat) themselves through technology.Įspecially when pretty graphs are involved.Īs a sleep researcher, I was interested in my friends' use of sleep-tracking apps, and I received a pretty positive response when I prompted them for their thoughts: Thanks to the Internet, it's the age of self-diagnosis.
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