The electrical activity of a person who is fully awake shows a mixture of multiple different frequencies which is dominated by waves of fast frequencies (higher than 15-20 Hz) and low amplitude. This type of activity is known as a beta activity or desynchronized EEG.

Beta activity (desynchronized EEG) in waking stage

This is when a person is fully awake.
- Beta activity/desynchronized EEG

University of Rochester

- Waking
- Relaxing
- Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM sleep)
- Non-REM (NREM sleep)

Stages of human sleep

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Waking stage

A stage of sleep which shows small amplitude, fast EEG waves, no postural tension, and rapid eye movements. The waves of REM sleep closely resembles that of waking. 
- Nightmare

Rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM sleep)

A stage of sleep without rapid eye movements which divide into stages 1, 2, and 3 sleep (NREM 1, 2, 3).
- Stage 1
- Stage 2
- Stage 3

Non-REM (NREM sleep)

This is when a person is relaxed. People are usually getting ready to sleep during this stage and have their eyes closed, but they do not enter the drowsiness stage yet.
- Alpha rhythm

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