I chose the K-complex as my self portrait for the following reasons: the K-complex is an EEG waveform that defines stage 2 non-rapid eye movement sleep. This waveform correlates to an arousal from sleep - both evoked and spontaneous. Some sleep scientists theorize that the K-complex evolved to protect us.

 

Imagine homo sapiens as hunter-gatherers, living in rock shelters with predators always a threat. As a cave lion's paw dislodged a loose stone, as it crept upon it’s sleeping human prey - that small sound of stone on stone triggered a K-complex, an arousal from sleep. Such that our ancestor could fight or run.

 

Therefore, I view this wave as a very intimate self portrait of my brain activity now and, as I see it, 200,000 years of brain activity on whose shoulders I am standing on.