Section: Coach Light — Light as System
This section covers Chapter 3, Lessons 3.1 through 3.4.
Part A — Vocabulary (20 points, 2 points each)
Select the best answer for each question.
1. The two-process model of sleep regulation describes:
A) Sleep pressure and dream content B) Sleep pressure (Process S) and circadian timing (Process C) interacting to produce sleep C) REM and non-REM D) Two equally important hormones
2. Sleep pressure refers to:
A) Pressure from parents to sleep B) The buildup of adenosine across hours awake; the chemical drive to sleep C) Blood pressure during sleep D) The same as melatonin
3. Circadian misalignment describes:
A) Wearing the wrong color B) A state in which the SCN's rhythm is out of phase with the environment C) A medical condition D) A type of jet lag only from travel
4. Light-sensitive brain regions (beyond the SCN) include:
A) Only the visual cortex B) The habenula, amygdala, and parts of the prefrontal cortex, among others C) The cerebellum only D) The pituitary only
5. Habenula refers to:
A) A muscle B) A brain region involved in mood regulation that receives ipRGC input C) A gland D) A bone
6. Subclinical mood pattern refers to:
A) An imaginary mood disorder B) Persistent mood changes that do not meet clinical criteria but still affect well-being C) A diagnosis D) The same as clinical depression
7. Insulin sensitivity is:
A) An allergy B) The responsiveness of body cells to insulin's signal; higher in morning, declining through the day C) Constant across the day D) Lower at night
8. Time-restricted eating is:
A) A medical treatment B) A pattern of confining food intake to a defined daily window; not recommended for adolescents by Coach Light C) The same as fasting D) Required for circadian health
9. Shift work disorder is:
A) A workplace policy B) A circadian sleep disorder caused by work schedules that conflict with day-night cycles C) A psychological disorder D) An attendance issue
10. Temporal coherence refers to:
A) A type of music B) A state in which body clocks are aligned with each other and the environment C) Time management D) Memory accuracy
Part B — Concept Comprehension (20 points, 2 points each)
Select the best answer for each question.
11. The two-process model of sleep regulation describes:
A) Sleep pressure and dream content B) Sleep pressure (Process S) and circadian timing (Process C) C) REM sleep and non-REM sleep D) Two equally important hormones
12. Morning light exposure most directly affects sleep that night by:
A) Tiring you out faster B) Phase-advancing the circadian rhythm and earlier melatonin onset C) Raising adenosine D) Stimulating slow-wave sleep
13. Research has observed that ipRGCs project to brain regions involved in mood, including:
A) The optic chiasm only B) The habenula, amygdala, and parts of the prefrontal cortex C) Only the cerebellum D) The pituitary exclusively
14. Bright light therapy for SAD is described as:
A) Over-the-counter self-prescription B) A medical intervention requiring healthcare provider guidance C) Identical to ordinary outdoor sun exposure D) Unrelated to mood
15. Insulin sensitivity tends to be:
A) Highest in the evening B) Highest in the morning, declining through the day C) Constant across the day D) Higher at night than during the day
16. Long-term shift work has been associated in research with increased rates of:
A) Higher athletic performance B) Reduced metabolic risk C) Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers D) Better mood
17. Coach Light does NOT recommend time-restricted eating for adolescents because:
A) The research is irrelevant B) Adolescents have higher growth-related energy needs and are at higher risk for disordered eating patterns C) The practice has no metabolic effects D) Adolescents always overeat
18. Athletic performance in many studies tends to peak:
A) Immediately upon waking B) Late morning C) Late afternoon and early evening D) Late night
19. The relationship between morning light, sleep, and next-day performance is:
A) Unrelated B) A causal chain — morning light supports earlier melatonin onset, easier sleep, better next-day performance C) Reversed: better performance creates better sleep D) Mediated entirely by caffeine
20. Coach Light's frame for adolescent performance is:
A) Performance is purely willpower B) Working with biology is more useful than working against it C) School schedules already align with adolescent biology D) Light has no effect on performance
Part C — Application (30 points, 6 points each)
Write 2-4 complete sentences for each question. Show your reasoning.
21. Describe the two-process model of sleep regulation. How do sleep pressure and circadian timing interact across the day?
22. Walk through the biological pathway by which light may affect mood. Identify at least two specific mechanisms.
23. Why does the time of day at which someone eats matter for metabolism, not just what they eat? Reference insulin sensitivity.
24. Describe the typical pattern of cognitive performance across the day. What does this suggest about when to schedule difficult mental work?
25. The chapter says light is "one input among many" for sleep, mood, metabolism, and performance. What other inputs matter, and when is light hygiene insufficient on its own?
Continue to the next section.