Activity for the book My Psychology

Chapter App 4.1: Stages of Sleep

Use your experience with the app in Chapter App 4.1: Stages of Sleep or view this video overview to answer the questions.

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The Sleep Time app is based on the idea that your body follows certain patterns or cycles during the day, which makes you predictably sleepy or alert at certain times. This individualized 24-hour cycle on which your brain and body functions is called your .
Allison has been using the Sleep Time app for several weeks. The app has determined that the best time for her to wake up—that is, the time when she is in her lightest sleep stage—is between 7 and 7:30 am. Which sleep stage would Allison likely be in at this time?
Users of the Sleep Time app can “tag” several factors that affect sleep, including whether the user has used electronics, such as a TV, computer, or smart phone, shortly before going to bed. These electronic devices could affect the performance of the user’s , which is the brain structure that helps the body recognize external cues related to sleep and wakefulness.
The Sleep Time app detects your movements to determine patterns in your sleep. At which stage of sleep would your body be the least active, but your mind the most active?
The creators of the Sleep Time app claim that by waking up when you are in the lightest sleep, you will feel more refreshed and less drained. This goal aligns most closely with which of the following explanations for why humans evolved to require a period of sleep?