Sleep & Dreaming

Sleep helps repair/restore muscle & brain tissue, and supports growth

Evidence = muscle repair, tissue growth, protein synthesis, and release of growth hormones occur primarily during sleep

(Evolutionary perspective)

Inactivity at night preserved energy and prevented injury/death at a dangerous time when there was little value for movement

Sleep consolidates our memories of the day's experiences

Reactivates recent experiences stored in the hippocampus and transfers them for permanent storage to other parts of the cortex

When sleep deprived, we struggle cognitively

Deprivation studies show memory for newly learned info is better with a well-rested brain

Dreams allow us to access the unconscious mind

manifest (conscious) content vs. latent (subconscious) content

Dreams provide a way to sort the day's events & consolidate memories

Activation-synthesis model REM helps preserve & develop neural connections by triggering neural activity as memories are synthesized; we make sense of that neural activity by creating a story line

Inability to fall or stay asleep

Most common of all sleep disorders

Deprives people of the many biological & cognitive benefits of sleep

Treated with medication, stress/pain management, changing habits

Cessation of breathing repeatedly during sleep

--> not feeling rested after sleep

Caused by airway obstruction or brain trigger

Treatment = weight loss or C-PAP machine

Uncontrollable "sleep attacks" during the day

Genetic

Treatment = medication, lifestyle support