Biological rhythms and sleep

Abstract Sleep is regulated by dual oscillatory processes, one is the hierarchical multi oscillatory circadian system and the other is the ultradian rest-activity cycle. The circadian system is composed of the central clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the peripheral clocks in a variety of tissues which express overt rhythms. The peripheral clock(s) for sleep and wakefulness in nocturnal rodents are strongly regulated by the central clock. By contract, the peripheral clock(s) in humans is more independent of and easily desynchronized from the central clock. Nocturnal sleep is characterized by REM and nonREM cycles which appear alternatively at 1.5 to 2 hour intervals. The origin of ultradian rhythm is not known. We propose an integrated model for the regulation of sleep and wakefulness by two different oscillatory systems.