Showing posts with label Sleep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleep. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Electroencephalography (EEG)


We just learned about the Theta Waves.

Another part of the science of sleep is Electroencephalography (EEG).

Sometimes to try and figure out if someone has a sleep problem, scientists can use this to test the different types of brain waves happening while you sleep.

To do an EEG they put stickers on your head, and hook them up to wires called electrodes which are hooked up to a computer to listen for any electricity your brain gives off.


(from: wikipedia - electroencephalography)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tensor Tympani

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Theta Waves


We just learned about the Alpha Waves.

Another part of sleep is Theta Waves.

During REM sleep, the theta waves that help the brain work with thinking and memory are working while sleeping at the REM time.


(from: wikipedia - theta wave)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stapedius Muscle

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Alpha Waves


We just learned about Narcolepsy.

Another part of sleep science is Alpha Wave.

These are waves that come out of the brain while you are sleeping, and can be measured with science tools called an EEG.

(from: wikipedia - alpha wave)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Oval Window

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Narcolepsy


We just learned about the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT).

Another thing about sleep is Narcolepsy a type of sleep disorder.

In TV and movies this disorder is shown as people just instantly falling asleep.

But in real life it is a little different. People with this disorder might collapse where their whole body stops working, but they are actually still awake, they just can't move.


(from: wikipedia - narcolepsy)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stapes

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)


We just learned about Polysomnography.

Another type of sleep disorder test is the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT).

For this type of test, a person has to take a bunch of naps and then try to sleep at night, and the study looks at how well they sleep after having a bunch of nights.

(from: wikipedia - multi sleep latency test)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Incus

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Polysomnography


We just learned about the Stage 3 - Non REM-Sleep.

Another part of sleep is Polysomnography.

This is a kind of sleep study where a doctor hooks someone up to machines to test how their brain, muscles and heart are working while they sleep.


(from: wikipedia - polysomnography)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Malleus

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Stage 3 - Non-REM Sleep


We just learned about Stage 2 - Non-REM Sleep.

Another part of sleep is Stage 3 - Non-REM Sleep, also called slow-wave sleep or deep sleep.

During this time of sleep, the human body lets out chemicals that help the body grow, and let the brain take a break.
The brain also works on organizing the memories from the day.


(from: wikipedia - neuroscience of sleep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Ear Ossicles

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Stage 2 - Non-REM Sleep


We just learned about the Stage 1 - Non-REM Sleep.

The next part of sleep after this is Stage 2 - Non-REM Sleep.

During this time, the brain starts to organize all the things you did that day, and helps you sleep through small noises and light changes.


(from: wikipedia - k-complex)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Middle Ear

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Stage 1 - Non-REM Sleep


We just learned about Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.

Let's learn about Stage 1 - Non-REM Sleep.

When you are falling asleep, there are thee steps called stages you go through.

The first one called stage 1 is sometimes called relaxed wakefulness.
The brain starts calming down, and sometimes muscles flex a little which are called hypnic jerks.
If someone fully wakes up, they might not even really think of this as sleep since it wasn't deep sleep, but it's stage 1 Non REM sleep.
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(from: wikipedia - non-rapid eye movement sleep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Perilymph

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep


We just learned about the Circadian Clock.

Another part of sleep is Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.

We learned before about Rapid Eye Movement Sleep that happens when you are in deep sleep.
Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep is also called NREM, or quiescent sleep, and this is the part where you are falling asleep but aren't in deep sleep yet.


(from: wikipedia - non-rapid eye movement sleep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Organ of Corti

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Circadian Clock


We just learned about Rapid Eye Movement.

Another part of sleep is the Circadian Clock.

The word circadian comes from the latin words Circa meaning about, and Dia meaning day. So circadian means about a day.
The circadian clock is like an clock inside the body that helps your body sleep at night and be awake during the day.

It is in the part of the body called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN.
This is a big bunch of nerves in the brain, that are hooked up to the eyeballs to sense daylight to know when it is night and day.

If your circadian clock gets out of order from too much TV at night, it can mess up your body's inside clock that helps you sleep.


(from: wikipedia - suprachiasmatic nucleus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Ear Hair Cells

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Rapid Eye Movement


We just learned about the Unconsciousness.

Another part of sleep is called Rapid Eye Movement.

Sometimes when you are sleeping and your eyelids are closed, your eyeballs will move around like they are wiggling.
During this time the brain is active and the eyes are moving, but you are sound asleep.
Because the eyes are moving quickly, they call it REM for Rapid Eye Movement.

During other times of sleep the eyes don't move as much.


(from: wikipedia - rapid eye movement sleep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cochlea

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Unconsciousness


We just learned about Consciousness.

Another part of sleep is Unconsciousness.

When a person is asleep they are usually not moving, with their eyes closed, and they can't talk or do things.
Sometimes a person gets hurt or passes out, and they look like they are asleep, but it's not really the same as being asleep because they can't just be woken up.
If someone is like this and they are still breathing and healthy but they seem asleep that is called being unconscious.

Sleep isn't the same thing as being unconscious because your body and brain are able to wake up if you need to.


(from: wikipedia - unconsciousness)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Semicircular Canals

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Consciousness


We just started learning about Sleep.

One thing about sleep is Consciousness.

When you are conscious you are awake, and when you are asleep it is called being unconsciousness.


(from: wikipedia - consciousness)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Eardrum

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Sleep


We just learned about the Renal Pyramids and other things about the kidneys.

Let's learn a little about Sleep!

Even though we aren't really in control of our bodies while we sleep, there is a lot of science to why we sleep, and how we sleep.
The body lets out some chemicals into the brain that helps us sleep, the eyeballs move around, our breathing changes, and then eventually we wake up.

We don't know all the secrets of sleeping, but there is a lot of science that we do know about sleep!


(from: wikipedia - sleep)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Vestibule of the Ear