The Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels and Circulation - Essay Example

The circulatory system is made up of blood that constitutes the white blood cells or leucocytes, the red blood cells or erythrocytes, plasma and platelets. All of these components have a specific function in the role that blood plays. Blood acts as a medium for transporting oxygen, nutrients and waste products to and from the body tissues and cells (Noble, 2005). Blood has a characteristic red color due to the presence of hemoglobin. Platelets are components involved in body defense mechanisms and plasma is the fluid that contains all of these components.  

Blood is transported through blood vessels called capillaries, veins and arteries. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels, and they have close contact and association with body cells and tissues. Veins transport blood that is devoid of oxygen back to the heart where it is pumped to the lungs for oxygenation (Manolis, 2010). The pulmonary vein is the only vein that carries blood with oxygen.  Arteries carry oxygenated blood pumped from the heart to the rest of the body’s organs, tissues and cells. The pulmonary artery is the only artery that carries deoxygenated blood.

1. Causes of Tingling/Numbness after a nap Act

Tingling of a body part after a nap is caused by the diminished blood supply to that particular body part. This is caused by the application of pressure on that part of the body. Sleeping on one side of the body like laying your head on the arm can cause this to happen. It is characteristic of a condition called Ischemia, but in this case, the phenomenon is short-lived. Massaging the numb region re-establishes normal blood supply to that part of the body. After this, the numbness subsides and normality is restored.

1. Conclusion