slow-wave sleep

noun

Definition of slow-wave sleep

: the phase of non-REM sleep marked by the deepest sleep and the highest levels of delta wave activity with brain and muscle activity significantly reduced, loss of response to external stimuli greatest, and with heart rate and respiration at lowest levels

Note: Sleep time spent in slow-wave sleep is of longer duration during infancy and childhood.

Deep, or slow-wave sleep, when the body secretes human growth hormone, is critical for development and physical repair.— Melinda Beck Members of a second group were awakened every time they entered slow-wave sleep, a stage when dreams tend not to occur.— Sandra Blakeslee —abbreviation SWS

Examples of slow-wave sleep in a Sentence

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Those awakened from slow-wave sleep are groggy and disoriented. — Carl Zimmer, New York Times, "Hot Heads: Why Mammals Need R.E.M. Sleep," 7 June 2018 Next, participants slept in the lab, and the experimenters waited until the deepest stage of sleep (slow-wave sleep) to once again expose them to the odour. — Sadie Witkowski, Smithsonian, "Sleep-Learning Was a Myth, But You Could Strengthen Memories While You Snooze," 16 Feb. 2018 Of particular note: The deep, almost ethereal bass tones meant to promote slow-wave sleep, a phase that’s responsible for consolidating memory and learning as brain waves oscillate at the supremely mellow frequency of 10Hz. — Corey Seymour, Vogue, "Max Richter’s Eight-Hour Ambient Piece Will Put You To Sleep—Actually, That’s The Whole Point," 30 Mar. 2018 This worked only if they had been exposed to the rose odour during learning, and had smelled it during slow-wave sleep. — Sadie Witkowski, Smithsonian, "Sleep-Learning Was a Myth, But You Could Strengthen Memories While You Snooze," 16 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'slow-wave sleep.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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23 Apr 2019

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The first known use of slow-wave sleep was in 1964

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slow-wave sleep

noun

Medical Definition of slow-wave sleep

Note: Sleep time spent in slow-wave sleep is of longer duration during infancy and childhood.

Members of a second group were awakened every time they entered slow-wave sleep a stage when dreams tend not to occur.— Sandra Blakeslee —abbreviation SWS