Question

Dr. David is trying to answer some research questions about dreaming by bringing people into the sleep laboratory at night. In order to measure brain activity during the dream state, Dr. David wakes his participants after they have been asleep for about _____ minutes, when they are in _____ sleep.

a) 90 minutes; REM
b) 30 minutes; NREM
c) 60 minutes; Stage 2
d) 120 minutes; Stage 4

Answer 1

Dr. David should wake his participants after 90 minutes of sleep to study brain activity during REM sleep, the stage where dreaming is most prevalent.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Sleep Stages and Dream Research

When conducting research on dreaming, Dr. David would most likely wake his participants after they have been asleep for about 90 minutes; this is when they are in REM sleep. REM, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, is the sleep stage characterized by rapid movements of the eyes, brain waves that closely resemble wakefulness, and is where dreams typically occur. REM sleep is noted for its high brain activity and muscle atonia (paralysis except for the muscles that control respiration and circulation). This stage can be preceded by the three NREM (non-REM) stages of sleep, which shows a progression from light sleep in Stage 1 to deep or slow-wave sleep in stages 3 and 4 marked by delta waves.