Human sleep electroencephalograms, recorded in four experiments, were subjected to spectral analysis. Waking prior to sleep varied from 12 to 36 h and sleep was initiated at different circadian phases. Power density of delta and theta frequencies in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep increased monotonically as a function of prior waking. The increase of power density in the theta frequencies contrasts with the reported decrease of theta activity as detected by period-amplitude analysis. Slow wave activity (power density, 0.25-4.0 Hz) in NREM sleep during the first 3 h of sleep did not deviate significantly from the homeostatic process S of the two-process model of sleep regulation. In contrast, visually scored slow wave sleep, stages 3 and 4, deviated from this prediction at some circadian phases. It is concluded that, in accordance with the two-process model of sleep regulation, slow wave activity in NREM sleep depends on prior waking and is not significantly influenced by circadian phase.