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Chapter 1 - What Is Sleep?

from Section 1 - Sleep, Its Function, and Insomnia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2024

Colin A. Espie
Affiliation:
University of Oxford, UK
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Summary

People may believe sleep to be simply a static state that is the direct opposite of wakefulness; however, this is not the case. Rather, it is a complex and dynamic process, and throughout sleep we progress through multiple stages that can be measured discretely across behavioural, physiological, and cognitive domains. This chapter describes the differences and features of these different stages and how they can be measured. Also described is the fact that sleep and wakefulness are not mutually exclusive, and that there are times when the lines between sleep and wake can be blurred, and this is notably true in insomnia. Finally, the chapter explains how sleep is regulated through interacting homeostatic and circadian processes, and the neuroscientific underpinnings of the sleep and circadian system.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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  • What Is Sleep?
  • Colin A. Espie, University of Oxford, UK
  • Book: The Clinician's Guide to Cognitive and Behavioural Therapeutics (CBTx) for Insomnia
  • Online publication: 20 December 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108989480.004
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  • What Is Sleep?
  • Colin A. Espie, University of Oxford, UK
  • Book: The Clinician's Guide to Cognitive and Behavioural Therapeutics (CBTx) for Insomnia
  • Online publication: 20 December 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108989480.004
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • What Is Sleep?
  • Colin A. Espie, University of Oxford, UK
  • Book: The Clinician's Guide to Cognitive and Behavioural Therapeutics (CBTx) for Insomnia
  • Online publication: 20 December 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108989480.004
Available formats
×