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Related Concept Videos

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Sleep-Wake Cycles

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Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
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Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

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Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
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Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice
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When does sedentary behavior become sleep? A proposed framework for classifying activity during sleep-wake

Bethany Barone Gibbs1, Christopher E Kline2

  • 1Department of Health and Physical Activity, University of Pittsburgh, 32 Oak Hill Court, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. bbarone@pitt.edu.

The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
|August 24, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Sleep-related behaviors, such as trying to fall asleep or waking up, should not be classified as sedentary behavior. This distinction is crucial for accurate sedentary behavior research and intervention targeting.

Keywords:
Activity monitoringSedentary behaviorSleep

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Area of Science:

  • Physical Activity Epidemiology
  • Sleep Science
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • The Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN) defined sedentary behavior as waking behavior with energy expenditure ≤1.5 METs in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture.
  • Accurate classification of sedentary behavior, especially during sleep-wake transitions and in bed, remains a challenge for objective measures like thigh-worn inclinometers.
  • Current definitions may misclassify sleep-related behaviors (e.g., sleep onset latency, wakefulness after sleep onset/offset) as sedentary, despite their distinct physiological and functional roles.

Discussion:

  • Sleep-related behaviors, while technically fitting the energy expenditure criteria, are integral to the sleep-wake cycle and not typically targets for sedentary behavior reduction interventions.
  • Excluding sleep-related behaviors from sedentary behavior classifications is necessary for theoretical clarity and accurate measurement.
  • Objective monitoring tools like inclinometers require supplementary data (e.g., diaries) to differentiate waking sedentary activities in bed from sleep and sleep transitions.

Key Insights:

  • Sleep-related behaviors should be distinctly categorized and excluded from sedentary behavior classifications.
  • This exclusion is vital for refining the definition and measurement of sedentary behavior.
  • Accurate classification necessitates careful consideration of sleep-wake transitions and the use of complementary data collection methods.

Outlook:

  • Future research should evaluate the burden and utility of enhanced protocols for distinguishing sleep-related behaviors in sedentary behavior studies.
  • This refined framework will improve the validity of research on sedentary behavior and inform targeted public health interventions.
  • Further investigation into the specific characteristics and implications of waking behaviors performed in bed is warranted.