How Sleep Works
The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by two separate biological mechanisms in the body that interact and balance one other. This model, introduced by the Swiss sleep researcher Alexander Borbély in the early 1980s, is often referred to as the two-process model of sleep-wake regulation. The purpose of these two processes is to regulate the quantity and quality of sleep. There is a synergy that exists between these two processes as they work in conjunction with one another in order to effectively regulate one’s sleep cycle. These two processes are:
++ Circadian Rhythm, or Process C: The regulation of the body’s internal processes and alertness levels (including the circadian drive for arousal and circadian alerting system), which is governed by the internal biological or circadian clock. ++ Sleep-Wake Homeostasis, or Process S: The accumulation of hypnogenic (sleep-inducing) substances in the brain, is an internal biochemical system that operates as a timer or counter, generating a sleep drive or pressure to sleep and regulating sleep intensity.
Sleep-Wake Homeostasis
Sleep-Wake Cycle
Circadian Rhythm
BehavioralRx: Nurturing Daily Sleep Hygiene
BehavioralRx is an evidence-based science that engages millions of patients every month to improve health outcomes. It is the science of human motivation, activation, and resiliency for personalized therapies. Using proven psychological techniques and leveraging emotional attributes and cognitive brain functions to motivate in-the-moment actions at home, work, and play, BehavioralRx enables a person to manage their therapy by incorporating it into their environment of need, considering physical, behavioral and social factors. External factors, such as ambient temperature, meal times, stress, exercise, and drugs influence sleep times and durations, as do daily schedules (e.g. work, school, alarm clocks). The practice of consciously following daily guidelines in order to regulate these external factors and ensure a more restful and effective sleep is known as “sleep hygiene”, and can have a moderating or reinforcing effect on our underlying sleep patterns. BehavioralRx helps a person diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cancer or other physical and emotional health challenges improve sleep hygiene by motivating mental and physical activities that create a more balanced daily environment. This nurturing technology gives nature a higher probability of success by providing “in-the-moment of need” expert guidance delivered by a “virtual concierge” that supports and reinforces a daily schedule that optimizes the intended sleep outcomes of the two-process model of sleep-wake regulation.
SLEEP AND BEHAVIORALRX® MOBILE MEDICINE FOR THE MIND AND BODY
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