Essay 2

Sophia Alice Sincevich

Dr. Kerr

EN101-H1

October 4, 2010

Active Slumber

                       

Sleep is an essential process the body must go through to repair and cleanse itself (dailymail). Most external stimuli are filtered through the body’s senses and ultimately ignored because of the necessary actions taking place throughout the night.  However, the major organs in the body do not alter greatly in their functions during slumber and during wakefulness (talkaboutsleep). The human brain, eyes, and muscles have specific tasks to undertake while an individual is awake that do not differ significantly from their responsibilities when the body is asleep.

            Day or night, the brain swarms with activity (talk about sleep). When alert, it serves as a command center, continually sending and receiving information regarding the various stimuli coming in contact with the body. As the other organs gather sensations (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) the brain organizes and compiles the data it is sent, storing these details for later use. In addition to sifting through the abundant messages it receives, the brain controls the voluntary and involuntary actions of the body – breathing, digesting, moving an arm, wiggling an ear, and etcetera. Synapses in the mind fire signals throughout the body and across the brain to transfer information and complete tasks, whether or not an individual is awake (ninds). As the body begins to feel the need for sleep, the brain’s activity does not slack. Instead, it directs its focus to resting the body and recovering from the day (daily mail). Scientists measure the exertions of the brain in waves. They have recorded the actions of the brain while the body is both awake and asleep, and they have found that the frequency and speed of the waves do not decrease as an individual sleeps. The brain never stops controlling the body, even in states of relaxation (ninds). For the mind, at least, there is no difference between a conscious body and an unconscious one.

            The eyes serve as a direct window to the world outside of the human body. With the eye, one can observe colors, shapes, movements, light, and pattern, all while creating a three-dimensional view of the surrounding environment. Both in slumber and wakefulness, the eyes will close and wash themselves with tears. Tears clean the eyeball of dirt, bacteria, and other debris that does not belong with the eye. During the day, the lids will periodically close for this task, blinking, and throughout the night the eye remains shut for the same purpose (kidshealth). When the body is awake, the eyes will move to focus their gaze, night brings out a similar occurrence. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement, which happens during sleep approximately every ninety minutes (dailymail). This mobility is quicker than the daytime motion of the eyes, but the other stages of sleep recreate the pace of the eye’s movements. In the early phases of sleep, the eye muscles relax and the eye moves slowly (ninds). However, dreaming is done only in the REM section of sleep; the eye flits from side to side so that it can view the dream just like it would see the surrounding location during consciousness (dailymail). Though the rapidity of the motion changes, the overall function of the eye is not affected by sleep.

Muscles give the body the ability to move, maintain its shape, and support the structure of the human frame (emc). The power inherent in an individual comes from the function of the muscular system. In order to stand, open a door, pick up a book, and any other everyday action, the muscles are hard at work to follow the body’s impulses. There are three main muscle groups incorporated into the human frame: Skeletal, Cardiac, and Smooth muscles. Skeletal muscles are large and can be moved voluntarily; the Cardiac muscle is the heart, which pumps blood through the body; Smooth muscles cannot be controlled when thought about (kidshealth). As the body falls asleep, the sinews relax and slow their movements. All muscle function in the Skeletal Muscular system cease, though the other muscular systems remain in motion. The heart continues to beat; the bladder remains functioning and all other Smooth muscles carry on with their separate tasks (ninds). Just like the brain and the eyes, the differences between sleep and wakefulness in the body are minute.

The outward appearance of the human figure seems to change considerably when awake and in slumber. However, the functions of the major organs of the body suggest the opposite is true. Activity in the brain does not cease as the subconscious takes over at night; the eyes do not stop their motion when the eyes close; the muscles continue to pump blood and support the body even in rest. Sleep is an illusive, though crucial, procedure, but whether the body alters its duties during the night remains to be seen.

             

Works Cited

"National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke." Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. N.p., 21, May 2007. Web. 20 Oct 2010. <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding

"Brain Tumor Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis Information on MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet - Health and Medical Information Produced by Doctors. Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://www.medicinenet.com/brain_tumor/article.htm>.

Dowshen, Steven. "Your Muscles." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Aug. 2009. Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/muscles.html>.

EPSTEIN, ANGELA. "What Happens to Your Body During Sleep." Mail Online.Com. Associated Newspapers Ltd, n.d. Web. 20 Oct 2010. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-90598/What-happens-body-youre-asleep.html#comments>.

"An Intro to Sleep: What Is Sleep?" Sleep Disorder Information & Resources - Always up to Date with the Latest News in the Sleep Disorder Community! Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-disorders/archives/intro.htm>.

"Muscular and Skeletal Systems." Estrella Mountain Community College. 18 May 2010. Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookMUSSKEL.html>.

"Muscular and Skeletal Systems." Estrella Mountain Community College. 18 May 2010. Web. 05 Oct. 2010. <http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookMUSSKEL.html>.