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sleep-wake cycle

American  
[sleep-wayk] / ˈslipˈweɪk /

noun

  1. Physiology. the species-specific biological pattern of alternating sleep and wakefulness, in humans roughly 8 hours of nocturnal sleep and 16 hours of daytime activity.


Example Sentences

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This facility supports a multidisciplinary approach to studying sleep and the sleep-wake cycle, enabling researchers to better understand how brain activity interacts with bodily processes.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026

Lastly, melatonin is involved in biological rhythms, particularly circadian rhythms such as the sleep-wake cycle and eating habits.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Studies prove that light suppresses melatonin, the chemical released by the pineal gland that regulates humans' sleep-wake cycle — also known as our Circadian rhythm.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2022

"Carbohydrates can raise your blood sugar, which has a therapeutic sleeping effect. Tryptophan is the amino acid that leads to serotonin production. Serotonin can be converted into more melatonin, which promotes a healthy sleep-wake cycle."

From Fox News ● Feb. 27, 2022

Even though they don't sleep, many plants have "clock genes" similar to those that direct the sleep-wake cycle in animals.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 5, 2016

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