The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the correlational method as a means for examining the relationship between REM sleep and memory. I will describe previous research and then investigate how REM and memory are associated in young people and in older people. In some ways, the sleep patterns of these two groups are very similar, but in some ways they are not. 1a. REM sleep is the kind of sleep that occurs at certain intervals during the night. As REM sleep begins, rapid eye movement occurs and dreaming begins to take place. This kind of deep sleep takes place after the first few hours of sleep, as the brain also then begins to block messages from the brains motor cortex. Compared to older people, younger people go through deep sleep at …show more content…
The different types of EEG waves that researchers usually study are called the alpha, beta, theta, and delta waves. Alpha waves are observed when the person is awake. These kinds of waves have high amplitudes and are fast. As the person begins to fall asleep, theta waves begin being observed as this is the first stage of deep sleep. Theta waves are much slower than alpha waves. Once the person moves onto the second stage, EEG waves begin to increase in amplitude and frequency, which then transitions the person to stage 3 and 4 as the person begins to pass through the delta waves. Compared to young adults, the elderly do not have as much delta waves because they do not go through as much sleep as young adults do, which explains why elderly people tend to wake up earlier than most. 1d. The circadian rhythm is known to act as an internal biological clock, which controls sleep patterns and follows a 24 hour pattern throughout the day. A change in body temperature also occurs depending on how alert the person is throughout the day and the reactions to what is experienced. During the start of the day, your thinking and memory processes are more accurate as people perform much better during the day than at night, as your thinking and memory begins to wear off at …show more content…
However, a complete understanding of the roles of REM and non-REM sleep in learning and memory has been elusive. 2a. In a study done on the effect of sleep on learning and memory, studies showed that a decrease in learning and memory occurred to people only if they did not get enough sleep during the REM sleep period. Another piece of evidence was that REM sleep returns to its normal state after the person has fully understood the lesson or task. This helps prove that REM sleep in participant’s increases after studying. 2b. The statement that says that animals increase in REM sleep when under a lot of stress is not fully true. In a research study made, the animals in the control group did not increase in their REM sleep even though they went through the same stress as the experimental group. 2c. One neurotransmitter that might enhance learning after REM sleep is acetylcholine. Acetylcholine helps increase learning in during the REM sleep period because of certain molecular mechanisms that it controls such as