Regulation and functional correlates of slow wave sleep.

Sleep is thought to be important for efficient daytime functioning. Deep nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, also known as slow wave sleep (SWS), is considered to be the most restorative sleep stage and to be associated with sleep quality1,2 and maintenance of sleep.3 However, there is much to be learned about the function of SWS and its effects on other physiologic processes and daytime functioning. This review briefly summarizes some of the characteristics of SWS, how it is measured and regulated, as well as the contribution of SWS to sleep propensity and sleep maintenance.