Sleep, as important as it is, often becomes a neglected part of life. Especially for college students, sleep sometimes is a rare thing, while some people appear to be able to do without sleep, eventually, it will “catch” up to them. Lewis Barker states that on average humans sleep eight hours a day. What goes on during these eight hours is what constitutes sleep. Once the eyelids close, the muscles relax yet, the brain is just getting started.

Many stages can be found in a typical night sleep, and there is a distinct pattern for these stages that makes sleep efficient. “ When a person falls asleep, the alpha and beta patterns that accompany waking consciousness change to what is called stage 1 sleep, which is characterized by irregular, low voltag

After a diagnosis has been made, it is important to continue to evaluate the behaviors of the patient. To reduce episodes as explained by Michael Aldrich, the patient should maintain a regular sleep habit, avoid sleep deprivation, and not use over the counter sleep aids. It is also important for any dangerous potential obstacles to be removed so that in case of an episode, the patient will remain safe from dangerous obstacles include objects that could be tripped over, or a nearby stairway. (267) Since the majority of patients are children, it is also important to eliminate possible triggers such as scary movies or stories before bedtime. Since things such as caffeine and alcohol have differing effects on individuals, these should not be overlooked when making a diagnosis. Possibly eliminating these things could improve the sleep condition. As stated by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, “ Subjects who reported confusional arousals were also the greatest consumers of psycho tropics and the greatest bedtime consumers of alcohol, which is also a CNS depressant” (275).

Sleepwalking, Night terrors, and Nightmares

e theta waves” (Barker 321). This lasts for about an hour and then it moves into stages two, three, and four. As the stages progress, the heart rate slows, and breathing softens. About an hour and a half into the sleep cycle, REM sleep occurs. This is the stage of sleep in which things start to get interesting, REM stands for rapid eye movement. In this stage, “story like dreams occur” (322). . Dreaming can be very inspirational, or informative for some, yet for others it can be frightening. Nightmares are just one of the disruptions many face that keep them from getting a good nights rest.

Some topics in this essay:
Michael Aldrich, Lewis Barker, Sleep Disorders, , Heritage Dictionary, Clinical Psychiatry, Antonio Culebras, Confusional Arousals, William Shakespeare, night terrors, michael aldrich, Sleepwalking Night, confusional arousals, rapid eye movement, sleepwalking night terrors, sleep deprivation, sleep walking, eye movement, screaming rapid, rapid eye, include night, screaming rapid heartbeat, include night terrors, sleep talking, night terrors sleepwalking,