BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY

PROJECT

SLEEPING HABITS AND DISORDERS

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have taken efforts in this project however it

would not have been possible without the kind
support and help of many individuals.

I would like to thank my principal Ms Shalini

dhanwani and my school for providing me with
the facilities to do the project.

I am highly indebted to my biology teacher

Ms Garima Rajput,
For her invaluable guidance, which has
sustained my efforts throughout the project.

I would also like to thank my parents for their

continuous support and encouragement.

My thanks and appreciation also go to those

who have willingly helped me out with their
abilities.
 INTRODUCTION
Sleep can be defined as a period of rest
during which the organism loses awareness of
his or her surroundings. Sleep, unlike coma, is
easily ended.
When a person falls asleep, all his metabolic
activities and muscles relax. The rate of
heartbeat also slows down. The person then
becomes gradually unaware of what is
happening around him.

Scientist study sleep using an instrument

called ELECTROCEPHALOGRAPH.whether
the person is awake or asleep. The brain gives
off electrical waves. Electroencephalography
measures and records the waves. The brain of
an awake person gives 10 waves per second.
When the person falls asleep the brain sends
out slower but larger waves. The slowest and
largest waves are sent during the first three
or two hours of sleep. During the slow-wave
sleep, the mental activities slow down but do
not stop. Persons awakened from slow-wave
sleep can often recall hazy or unclear
thoughts they had while asleep.
DISORDERS RELATED TO SLEEP

1. sleepwalking

It is a condition during which partially

awakened sleeper performs various
physical activities. Most of the
sleepwalkers mostly sit up in bed or
stand near it. Some actual walkabout, but
a few may perform more complicated
actions.

Sleepwalking occurs more commonly

among children than among adults, A
person is most likely to sleepwalk during
a period of worry or tension.
Sleepwalking rarely occurs when the
sleeper is dreaming. After awakening,
most sleepwalkers do not remember their
activities.
 2. INSOMNIA

It is the inability to sleep naturally. In fact, it is

not a disease but a symptom that may result
from any one of a number of causes.

 Indigestion or overexcitement may

lead to insomnia.
 Normally a pain or discomfort from
physical fitness will interfere with
sleep.
 Coffee or any other stimulants the
nervous system to the nervous system
Can cause insomnia.
 Certain drugs affect the brain in such
a way to produce wakefulness
 Insomnia may be also caused due to
various physiological factors.
3.SNORING

It is a rough broken sound made during

sleep. Almost everyone makes it
occasionally, but men usually snore more
often than women and children. Snoring
occurs when a sleeper breathes through
The mouth air rushing out of the mouth
vibrates the soft palate. This vibration
produces the sound. As the soft palate
vibrates, the lips and the other mouth
tissues cheeks and nostril may also
vibrate. The rushing air dries up the soft
mouth tissues thus making them vibrate
faster. This makes the snoring louder.
 4.NARCOLEPSY

It is a disease condition that causes

excessive sleepiness. People with
narcolepsy fall asleep several times a day
Even though they get enough sleep at
night. The cause of this disease is not
fully known but there is evidence to prove
it is hereditary. Doctors can help ease the
problem with drugs, but narcolepsy
cannot be cured.

Narcolepsy causes sudden attacks of sleep.

Sudden loss of muscle tone and hallucinations
might occur.
People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about
the same number of hours per day as people
without, but the quality of sleep tends to be
worse.
While there is no cure, a number of lifestyle
changes and medications may help
SLEEP PATTERNS AMONG OTHER ANIMALS

Sleeping behaviour and patterns in other

animals are studied the same way as for
human beings among the vertebrates only
reptiles, birds and mammals experience true
sleep-with changes in brain wave patterns.
Most kinds of reptiles do not dream.
And most kinds of birds dream only for short
periods. All mammals have dream periods and
also periods of slow-wave sleep.

Different species of birds reptiles and

mammals have different sleep patterns.
Some sleep for many short periods every day,
while others sleep for one long period.
Animals that are nocturnal, sleep during the
daytime. Some mammals like cattle can sleep
While standing up, they dream only while lying
down.
However fish and amphibians have periods of
what might be called sleep. But this is not true
sleeping. During this sleep, they become less
aware of what is happening around them.
There is no way to show that brain wave
changes or dreaming occur in such animals.

Insects spiders and other vertebrates have

daily periods of reduced activity. But
invertebrates do not show a sudden decrease
in responding to their surroundings. No brain
changes have been found to occur during the
rest periods of these animals.
Sleeping habits
questionnaire
NAME;
FORM NO;
SEX;
AGE;
1. How many hours of sleep do you
get daily?
a)4-5 hours
b)5-7hours
c)7-9hours
d) for more than 9 hours.

2. Do you snore while sleeping?

a)yes
b)no

3. Do you cover your face while

sleeping?
a)yes
b)no
4. Do you have a habit of taking a
tranquillizer before sleep?
a)yes
b)no

5. Do you take tea/coffee before

bed?
a)yes
b)no
6. Do you use a pillow while
sleeping?
a)yes
b)no

7. Do you find difficulty going to

sleep?
a)yes
b)no

8. Do you find difficulty waking

up?
a)yes
b)no
9. Do you feel tired after waking
up?
a)yes
b)no

10. Are you getting 7-8 hours of

sleep every day?
a)yes
b)no

11. Do you take any stimulants to

sleep?
a)yes
b)no

12. Do you speak while sleeping?

a)yes
b)no

13. Do you sleepwalk?

a)yes
b)no
14. Do you use smartphones while
sleeping?
a)yes
b)no

15. Do you listen to music before

sleeping?
a)yes
b)no

16. Are you having increased

cravings for
Carbohydrates?
a)yes
b)no

17. Are you having poor impulse

control?
a)yes
b)no

18. Do you forget things very

quickly?
a)yes
b)no

19. Do you feel stressed during

the day?
a)yes
b)no

20. Do you feel sleep is a waste

of time?
a)yes
b)no

CHARTS
 75% of the people use phones
while sleeping, while 25%of them
don’t.
 30% of the people consume
coffee/tea whereas the rest 70% do
not.
20% people think that sleep is a
waste of time, the rest 80% believe
sleep is not a waste of time but very
useful.
 CONCLUSION
(I) DURATION OF SLEEP:-

It can be concluded that as the age proceeds, the

duration of sleep of individuals is declining. Older
persons need less sleeping hours than younger.
Most of the adult individuals sleep for about 8
hours. This decrease in sleep hours with the age is
due to the fact that in children, the mind is free
from anxieties but in adults and working persons.
The house and other problems keep their mind
conscious. Thus they can sleep for lesser hours.

(II) STYLE OF SLEEP:-

No particular problem can be drawn by examining

the style of sleep of different age groups. There is
no relationship between them. Although the
frequency of persons sleeping on back or side is
more than who sleep on stomach.

(III) COVERED OR UN-COVERED FACE:-

It is clear from the results that a person likes to
sleep with un-covered face as the age proceeds. It
is probably due to the reason that an adult person
is more aware of harmful effects of sleep with
covered face.

(IV) SNORING:-

Snoring is more in middle-aged persons. This is

also probably due to conscious mind of a middle
age person.

(V) DREAMING AND MURMURING AND SLEEP

WALKING:-

It can be seen from the results that the middle-

aged (31-45) persons dream more than the older
and younger perhaps due to the anxieties in their
mind. Murmuring is also found in middle-aged
persons. This has got the same reason. Similarly,
Sleep-walking is seen maximum in this age group.
Murmuring in children is found almost nil as they
have sound sleep with a free mind.
 45% of the people are getting 7-8
hours of required sleep. 50% of them
get less than 7 hours of sleep. 0.05%
of them get more than 9 hours of
sleep.
6 people get 4-5 hours of sleep. 6
get 5-7 hours of sleep. 7 get 7-9
hours of sleep. 1 gets more than 9
hours of sleep.