Research Paper on Sleep Essay Example

Research Paper on Sleep Paper Why do we sleep? There is actually no satisfying answer. Although there are theories about why we sleep, there isn’t enough information to prove them. We know about two different kinds of sleep, rapid eye movement, and non-rapid eye movement sleep. Every living life form sleeps, even cells go into a dormant state. Although different animals need to sleep different amounts. Horses sleep about 3 hours a day, while bats sleep 20. An average person requires about 8 hours of sleep (Why). Scientists believe many different things about why we sleep. That it helps restore what was lost in the body when awake, or that sleep is to conserve energy. There is a theory that sleep is to protect us from predators, and some theories are even mixed. Although, first, the different kinds of sleep must be understood. Way back in 1929, when Betty White was 7, a man named Hans Berger was busy inventing something huge for neuroscience. He invented something called the electroencephalogram, but since that’s such a mouthful, it’s also known as an EEG. Electrodes are attached to the scalp, they measure electrical impulses in the brain. The invention of this device was huge for neuroscience, just ask Betty. In sleep science it helped scientists define the two different types of sleep, and their EEG rythms. REM stands for rapid-eye-movement. Neural functions deep in the brain trigger REM. One type of neurotransmitter to trigger REM, another to shut it off. REM is an important part of sleep, because it is usually when people dream. Although REM sleep proves to be sporadic. Changes in blood pressure occur, and there are no regulations in body temperature, breathing and We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Sleep specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Sleep specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Sleep specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer heart rate also become irregular. REM is also seen in human fetuses at around 6 months, it takes up about 90%.Although in young adults REM only takes up about 30% overall sleep (Sleep). REM sleep consists of low amplitude, high frequency EEG rhythms (Why). Non-REM sleep is, you guessed it, N