Question

Which statement is not true?

1) Sleep requirements decline from infancy to early adulthood, level off, then decline again in old age.
2) Half of infant sleep is composed of REM sleep.
3) Ten-year-olds are in REM sleep about 1.5-2 hours per night.
4) Stage 4 sleep increases in old age.

Answer 1

The false statement is that 'Stage 4 sleep increases in old age' because the amount of deep sleep, which Stage 4 represents, actually decreases as we age.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is not true among the given options is 'Stage 4 sleep increases in old age'. As we age, deep sleep stages, including Stage 3 and Stage 4 (slow-wave sleep), actually decrease. The brain wave activity during these stages is characterized by low frequency, high amplitude delta waves, and these become less prevalent as one gets older. On the other hand, sleep needs decline from infancy to adulthood, infants do spend about half of their sleep in REM sleep, and ten-year-olds experience REM sleep for about 1.5-2 hours per night. Therefore, the statement about Stage 4 sleep increasing in old age contradicts the known facts about sleep patterns in the elderly.