Stages and Measuring Sleep
Multiple choice questions
1. Sleep spindles are irregular brainwaves that are experienced during NREM sleep. They are
described as a sudden burst of:
A. Frequency
B. Amplitude
C. Delta waves
D. Electricity
2. Beta-like waves are experienced in which staged of sleep?
A. Stage 1 NREM
B. Stage 2 NREM
C. Stage 3 NREM
D. REM sleep
3. Which of the following statements about dreams is false?
A. Dreams mainly occur during REM sleep
B. Typically when dreaming the body is seemingly in a state of paralysis
C. Usually the dreamer cannot remember the dream if woken
D. The majority of brainwaves when dreaming are beta-like
4. Which stage do we first enter when falling asleep?
A. Stage 1 NREM
B. Stage 1 REM
C. Stage 2 NREM
D. Stage 2 REM
5. A delta wave is characterised by _________________ amplitude and _______________
frequency.
A. High; low
B. Low; high
C. High; moderate
D. Low; moderate
6. An electrooculargraph is a device that helps to measure which stage of sleep someone is
experiencing. It does this by detecting, amplifying and recording:
A. Electrical activity of the brain
B. Electrical activity of the muscles
C. Electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the eye
D. Electrical activity of the eyes
7. When individuals are experiencing difficulty sleeping, they may visit a sleep _____________ to
monitor their sleep patterns.
A. Lobotomy
B. Site
C. Hypnotist
D. Laboratory
1
8. During which stage of sleep are hypnic jerks more commonly experienced?
A. REM sleep
B. Stage 3 NREM sleep
C. Stage 2 NREM sleep
D. Stage 1 NREM sleep
9. Delta waves are experienced during _______________ sleep. They are characterised by
______________ frequency and ______________ amplitude.
A. REM; high; low
B. REM; low; high
C. Stage3/4 NREM; high; low
D. Stage 3/4 NREM; low; high
10. K-complexes are brainwaves experienced during Stage 2 NREM sleep. They are irregular
brainwaves and they are characterised by:
A. A long period of high frequency
B. A long period of high amplitude
C. A short burst of high amplitude
D. A short burst of high frequency
11. Which of the following statements regarding REM sleep is false?
A. REM sleep is often known as paradoxical sleep
B. During REM sleep the body is in a state of paralysis
C. Dreaming usually occurs during REM sleep
D. REM sleep decreases in duration throughout the night
12. After experiencing Stage 3 NREM sleep we progress to Stage 4 NREM sleep. We are officially said
to have entered Stage 4 sleep when we experience:
A. A majority of delta waves
B. A majority of theta waves
C. A majority of alpha waves
D. A majority of beta waves
13. What information would an electromyography provide when an individual is experiencing REM
sleep?
A. It would show beta-like waves
B. It would show no body movement
C. It would show rapid eye movement
D. It would show the participant was dreaming
14. As we progress though a night’s sleep we pass through various sleep stages. Many of these
stages involve unique features in terms of brainwave activity. During Stage 3 NREM sleep we
commonly experience:
A. Sleep spindles
B. K-complex
C. Slow wave sleep
D. Beta waves
2
Short answer questions
1. Using the table below, read the listed features of sleep and place a tick next to the type of sleep
where these features occur.
REM Sleep
NREM Sleep
Muscle paralysis
Delta waves present
Decrease in heart rate
Dreaming occurs
2a) What is a hypnic jerk?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) During which stage of sleep is a hypnic jerk experienced?
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 1 = 2 Marks
3a) How long does one cycle of sleep approximately last for?
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) If you slept for eight hours in one night, explain how your first sleep cycle would be different in
terms of the amount of NREM and REM sleep experienced.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 2 = 3 Marks
4a) Identify what an electroencephalograph (EEG) measures.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) Describe how an EEG measurement is obtained.
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 1 = 2 Marks
3
5. List three physiological characteristics you would find if an individual was experiencing REM sleep.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
3 Marks
6a) Name one device that would allow you to determine whether someone was in Stage 1 NREM
sleep or Stage 3/4 NREM sleep.
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) Explain how this device would show a distinction between these stages.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 1 = 2 Marks
7. Name one way that a video recording may be helpful when monitoring a night’s sleep.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 Mark
8. Discuss the features of theta waves compared to delta waves in terms of amplitude and
frequency.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 Marks
4
9. Explain what an EOG measures and how it could be used to determine which stage of sleep an
individual is in.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 Marks
10. Name and describe the features of the two unique types of brainwaves experienced in Stage 2
NREM sleep.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 Marks
11. What do the terms ‘amplitude’ and ‘frequency’ refer to, when comparing brainwaves measured
on an electroencephalograph (EEG)?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 Marks
5
Solutions
Multiple choice questions
1. A
8. D
2. D
9. D
3. C
10. C
4. A
11. D
5. A
12. A
6. C
13. B
7. D
14. C
Short answer questions
1.
REM Sleep
Muscle paralysis
NREM Sleep
***
Delta waves present
***
Decrease in heart rate
***
Dreaming occurs
***
2a) An involuntary muscle spasm that occurs when our muscles begin to relax.
b) Stage 1 NREM sleep
3a) Ninety minutes
b) The first sleep cycle would predominantly consist of NREM sleep, whereas the last sleep cycle
would predominantly consist of REM sleep.
4a) An EEG detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain, as measured by
brainwaves.
b) By attaching electrodes to the surface of the scalp.
5. Any three of the following: beta-like brainwaves (low amplitude, high frequency); muscle paralysis;
increased physiological functions such as breathing and heart rate; rapid eye movement.
6a) Electroencephalograph (EEG)
b) During Stage 1 NREM sleep, alpha and theta waves would be present, whereas in Stage 3/4
NREM sleep, delta waves would be present. Therefore in Stage 3/4 NREM sleep the brainwaves
experienced would be higher in amplitude and lower in frequency.
7. A video recording would allow a doctor or sleep specialist to look at movement and behaviour that
occurs during a night’s sleep. Behaviours such as sleepwalking could be investigated using this
technique.
8. Compared to delta waves, theta waves are lower in amplitude and higher in frequency.
9. An EOG detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the eye. If
rapid eye movement was detected, it could indicate that someone was in REM sleep; if rapid eye
movement was not present, a sleeper may be in NREM sleep.
10. Sleep spindles – a short burst of high frequency
brainwaves.
K-complexes – a short burst of high amplitude brainwaves.
11. Amplitude refers to the intensity of a brainwave, whereas frequency refers to how often or
regularly the brainwave occurs.
6