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A Time to Wake, a Time to Sleep

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Mechanisms of Circadian Systems in Animals and Their Clinical Relevance

Abstract

Sleep is a defining trait in animals. Although the function(s) of sleep remain elusive, it is clear that sleep is necessary for survival and its timing precisely regulated. Two processes operate to determine when sleep will occur and how intense it will be. The homeostatic process determines the buildup of sleep pressure that results from extended wakefulness, and the circadian process regulates sleep pressure according to a circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. This chapter discusses the experimental evidence for these regulatory processes. In mammals, the interplay between the homeostatic and circadian regulatory limbs not only determines the timing and intensity of sleep but also leads to a stereotypic temporal organization of sleep stages. Whereas increased homeostatic drive favors slow-wave sleep, increased circadian drive favors rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Environmental challenges that disrupt the timing of sleep affect its amount as well as its quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Horacio O. de la Iglesia

  2. Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Horacio O. de la Iglesia

  3. Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Michael L. Lee

  4. Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Michael L. Lee

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  1. Horacio O. de la Iglesia
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Correspondence to Horacio O. de la Iglesia .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Raúl Aguilar-Roblero

  2. Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico

    Mauricio Díaz-Muñoz

  3. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

    Mária Luisa Fanjul-Moles

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de la Iglesia, H.O., Lee, M.L. (2015). A Time to Wake, a Time to Sleep. In: Aguilar-Roblero, R., Díaz-Muñoz, M., Fanjul-Moles, M. (eds) Mechanisms of Circadian Systems in Animals and Their Clinical Relevance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08945-4_11

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