Skip to main content
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Neuroscience pp 3736–3738Cite as

Sleep-Wake Cycle

  • Reference work entry

  • 416 Accesses

Synonyms

Sleep-wake rhythms; Wake-sleep cycle

Definition

The rhythmic alternation between two behavioral states: sleep and wakefulness. The rhythmic regulation of the alternation between these two states usually refers to rhythms with a circadian period.

Characteristics

Sleep and the Sleep-Wake Cycle

The defining behavioral characteristics of sleep that are used to identify sleep in many animals are: (i) a species-specific posture; (ii) reduced responsiveness to external stimuli; (iii) rebound after deprivation see [1].

The assessment of a species-specific posture requires around-the-clock behavioral observations. In most species, sleep will be accompanied by behavioral quiescence. In some species, such as dolphins, sleep verified by electrophysiological recordings has been observed while the animal is behaving.

Variation in responsiveness across putative sleep and wake states can be assessed by quantification of arousal thresholds for standardized tactile, auditory, or other stimuli....

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_5454
  • Chapter length: 3 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   2,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover Book
USD   2,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Sleep-Wake Cycle. Figure 1

References

  1. Siegel JM (2005) Clues to the functions of mammalian sleep. Nature 437:1264–1271

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Saper CB, Scammell TE, Lu J (2005) Hypothalamic regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms. Nature 437:1257–1263

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Borbély AA, Dijk DJ, Achermann P, Tobler I (2001) Processes underlying the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. In: Takahashi JS, Turek FW, Moore RY (eds) Circadian clocks. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, pp 457–479

    Google Scholar 

  4. Maquet P (2001) The role of sleep in learning and memory. Science 294:1048–1052

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tononi G, Cirelli C (2006) Sleep function and synaptic homeostasis. Sleep Med Rev 10:49–62

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Czeisler CA, Dijk DJ (2001) Human circadian physiology and sleep-wake regulation. In: Takahashi JS, Turek FW, Moore RY (eds) Circadian clocks. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, pp 531–569

    Google Scholar 

  7. Mistlberger RE (2005) Circadian regulation of sleep in mammals: role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Brain Res Brain Res Rev 49:429–454

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Dijk DJ, Franken P (2005) Interaction of sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythmcity: dependent or independent systems. In: Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement WC (eds) Principles and practice of sleep medicine. Elseviers Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 418–434

    Google Scholar 

  9. Viola AU, Archer SN, James LM, Groeger JA, Lo JC, Skene DJ, von Schantz M, Dijk DJ (2007) PER3 polymorphism predicts sleep structure and waking performance. Curr Biol 17:613–618

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Dijk D-J, Duffy JF, Riel E, Shanahan TL, Czeisler CA (1999) Ageing and the circadian and homeostatic regulation of human sleep during forced desynchrony of rest, melatonin and temperature rhythms. J Physiol 516 (pt 2):611–627

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surrey Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK

    Derk-Jan Dijk

Authors
  1. Derk-Jan Dijk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Marc D. Binder

  2. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo‐ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Nobutaka Hirokawa

  3. Göttingen, Germany

    Uwe Windhorst

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Cite this entry

Dijk, DJ. (2009). Sleep-Wake Cycle. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_5454

Download citation