Why do we sleep?

a few theories . . .

Restoration Theory

• 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

Adaptive Theory

• (Evolutionary perspective)

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

Cognitive & Information-Processing Theory

• 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

Why do we dream?

more theories

Freud's Psychological Theory

• Dreams allow us to access the unconscious mind

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

Biological & Information-Processing Theory

• 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

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia

• 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

Sleep apnea

• 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

Narcolepsy

• Uncontrollable "sleep attacks" during the day

• Genetic

• Treatment = medication, lifestyle support

What are sleepcycles and what happens when you alter yours?​​

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTEK23yAA0E​

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​Sleep cycles