Final answer:
The sleep stage marked by irregular breathing, eye movements, high-frequency brain waves, and dreaming is known as REM sleep. This stage exhibits brain activity similar to wakefulness despite the sleeper being unconscious and having paralyzed voluntary muscles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sleep stage characterized by irregular breathing, eye movements, high-frequency brain waves, and dreaming is called REM sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is unique due to the combination of active, wake-like brain waves shown in the EEG readings and a state of muscle paralysis (excluding muscles necessary for circulation and respiration). This phase is known for vivid dreams and is sometimes referred to as paradoxical sleep because of these contrasts. REM sleep follows the three stages of non-REM (NREM) sleep and typically recurs several times throughout a full night’s rest, with longer, more frequent REM periods occurring towards morning.
Different brain waves define each sleep stage, with beta waves during wakefulness and delta waves during the deepest stage of NREM sleep. The first stage of NREM sleep is a light sleep where we drift off, then our brain waves slow further during stages 2 and 3, with stage 3 being characterized by low-frequency, high-amplitude delta waves. Understanding REM sleep and the stages of NREM sleep is crucial in grasping how sleep contributes to our overall health and cognitive functions, such as learning and memory.