Answer to Question #182199 in Psychology for Paul Carpenter

Question

Briefly describe the general structure and function of the nervous system.

Why is the study of “sleep” important in a psychology course? What benefit does sleep provide to the nervous system and to the body in general?

Have you experienced sleep disturbances? If so, please explain the effects to your physical, mental and emotional health.

Answer 1

The Nervous System

Briefly describe the general structure and function of the nervous system.

The human nervous system is the communicating, regulatory and controlling system in the body. It is the leading centre of every mental activity, including memory, thought and human learning. The nervous system is divided into two leading regions; the peripheral and the central nervous system (Cantile & Youssef, 2015). The central nervous system comprises the spinal code and the brain. Everything else that remains in the human body falls under the peripheral nervous system. Like other body systems, this system has organs like the spinal cord, brain and nerves, to mention a few. These organs have various tissues like blood and connective tissues, which work together to carry out the different nervous system activities. The functions of the nervous system can be classified into three overlapping tasks, which include;

• Sensation-various sensory receptors detect stimuli that develop in the body. They monitor things like light, temperature and sound that come from the external environment. Inside the human body, receptors detect changes in pressure, carbon dioxide concentrations and electrolyte levels. 
• Response- the nervous system gives a reaction on the stimuli basis that the sensory structure perceives. An example of body response is muscle movement, like withdrawing a hand from a hot cooking pot. The reactions of an individual can be classified into two leading types, voluntary and conscious responses. 
• Integration- integration is when sensory structures communicate to the nervous system on the received stimuli. When this happens, it results in the generation of specific responses. 

Why is the study of “sleep” critical in a psychology course? What benefit does sleep provide to the nervous system and the body in general?

The study of sleep is essential in psychology because it helps address the psychological, behavioural and physiological factors that determine the normal functioning of an individual. Sleep is vital to the nervous system because it recharges a person’s brain, which allows it to make memories. In addition to this, when one sleeps, the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the flight or fight response, relax; hence it maintains a person’s blood pressure. 

Have you experienced sleep disturbances? If so, please explain the effects on your physical, mental and emotional health.

Yes, I have experienced sleep disturbance. I could not sleep for two days as I was undergoing stress. When this happened to me, it had a lot of effects. For the next few days, I experienced severe anxiety, and my moods were affected as well. I was moody and grumpy, and everybody could not understand what was going on with me. Physically, I was fatigued, and I was not balancing well with the lack of sleep. I could hardly walk straight, and I felt dizzy while walking down the stairs.

Reference

Cantile, C., & Youssef, S. (2015). Nervous system. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmer's Pathology of Domestic Animals,, 1, 250-406.