Unveiling the Brain's Transition from Sleep to Wakefulness

A study using high-density EEG recordings reveals that the brain transitions from sleep to wakefulness in a precise sequence, starting in frontal regions and spreading backward, with different patterns depending on whether awakening occurs from REM or non-REM sleep. Slow waves in non-REM sleep can both promote alertness or cause grogginess, and understanding these patterns may improve sleep disorder treatments.