Sleep & Dreams Unit 3 Lesson 2

Objectives: Define sleep Identify the main theories of sleep Differentiate between the stages of sleep Discuss various dream theories Identify the defining features of sleep disorders

Warm Up Describe two of the five different levels of consciousness we talked about last time.

What Is Sleep? An altered state in which people become relatively unaware of external stimulation If time allows – have students complete psych sim after getting definition Use PsychSim 5.0 “EEG & Sleep Stages” at http://www.worthpublishers.com/exploring5e/content/psychsim5/EEG%20and%20Sleep%20Stages/PsychSim_Shell.html

Studying Sleep (1953) EEG records brain wave activity Frequency and strength EOG = eye movements EMG = muscle movements EKG = activity of the heart

EEG and Sleep Stages Awake = Beta Waves NREM 1 = Alpha Drowsy, Hypnagogic NREM 2 = ThetaWaves Sleep Spindles NREM 3 = Delta Waves Bedwetting, Sleep Talk/Walk Night terrors REM = Mimic Beta Waves Atonia, DREAMING

Roughly 5 Periods/Night – Lighter & More REM as move towards morning Sleep Cycle Roughly 5 Periods/Night – Lighter & More REM as move towards morning Roughly 5 periods of REM sleep per night Sleep becomes lighter as night wears on REM sleep becomes longer towards am

Why Do We Sleep? Evolutionary Theory: Protective function, keeps people tucked away at night, safe from predators. Recuperative Theory: Conserves energy, restores body tissues depleted during daily activity, mental consolidation REM: hormones released that influence thinking & memory formation, mental organization; counteract fatigue, irritability, inattention NREM: body replenishes itself (tissue restoration and release of growth hormone)

Why Do We Sleep At Night? Circadian Rhythm Internal sleep/wake cycle connected to 24-hour pd of earth’s rotation SCN/Melatonin Annual cycles 28-day cycles Menstruation 24-hour cycles Circadian rhythm 90-min cycles Sleep Suprachiasmatic nucleus Light triggers to decrease melatonin in morning, increase at night fall Disruptions? Jet lag , Night shift

How Much Sleep Do I Need? Infants Children/Adolescents Adults Elderly 20 hours 50% REM Children/Adolescents 10-14 hours Adults 8 hours Elderly 6 hours

What If I Miss Sleep? Effects On Body Effects On Brain Immune system weakens (illness) Metabolic malfunction Effects On Brain Moodiness Decreased cognitive performance Learn slower, remember less, loss concentration & creativity Blurred vision Disorganized speech Hallucinations Death? http://youtu.be/nSNRdvusmQs

Sleep Activities Am I Sleep Deprived? Sleep Myths Quiz & Video

Am I Sleep Deprived? Yes/No I need an alarm clock to wake up for school. It’s a struggle to get out of bed in the morning. I hit the snooze bar several times to get more sleep. I feel tired, irritable and stressed out during the week. I have trouble concentrating and remembering. I feel slow with critical thinking, problem solving and being creative. I often fall asleep in boring classes or warm rooms. I often fall asleep within 5 minutes of getting into bed. I often feel drowsy while driving. I often sleep extra hours on weekend mornings. I often need a nap when I get home from school. I have pink circles around or dark circles under my eyes.

Am I Sleep Deprived? Yes/No An answer of “yes” to three or more of the previous questions indicates sleep deprivation. You can easily improve your mood, performance and health by getting more sleep!

What Is Dreaming? Story-like series of thoughts, images, or emotions during (REM) sleep. Last Secs-Minutes to Hour (Occur Real Time) 3-7/night Lucid Dreaming Aware of dreaming; can direct dream

Why Do We Dream? Cultural Lore Dreams are messages from gods, spirits Prophecy/Omen Native American Dreamcatchers

Why Do We Dream? Psychoanalytic Theory Dreams reflect our unconscious wishes and fantasies. Manifest Content: images in dream (censored) Latent Content: meaning of dream 3 Types of Dreams Satisfaction, Impatience, Comfort

Why Do We Dream? Problem Solving Theory Dreams reflect problems we face during waking hours.

Why Do We Dream? Activation-Synthesis Theory Dreams are by-products of random neural activity/firing Cortex tries to make sense …but reasoning (frontal lobe) shut off

Nightmares REM Sleep ~12 per year Causes Anxiety, depression, mental stress Fears and active imaginations Traumatic events Drugs, medication Fever, illness

Random Dream Facts Blind people dream After 7, some visual images Most inside, involve motion Infer babies dream (images) People dream in color Animals dream Drugs influence dreams Dream recall increases following traumatic experiences Psychic or precognitive dreams are common Lincoln, Twain Can be acquitted of criminal acts There are few non-dreamers, just non-recallers Kenneth Parks, a 23-year-old Toronto man with a wife and infant daughter, was suffering from severe insomnia caused by joblessness and gambling debts. Early in the morning of May 23, 1987 he arose, got in his car and drove 23 kilometers to his in-laws' home. He stabbed to death his mother-in-law and also assaulted his father in law, who survived the attack. He then drove to the police and said "I think I have killed some people . . . my hands," only then realizing he had severely cut his own hands. Under police arrest he was taken to the hospital where he underwent repair of several flexor tendons of both hands. Because he could not remember anything about the murder and assault, had no motive for the crime whatsoever, and did have a history of sleepwalking, he was found not guilty of murder, because he had committed the crime in the state of somnambulic dream. Specialists say that sleep-walkers cannot be held responsible for their actions, because they do not realize what they do. Part of being found guilty is intent…can’t prove intent if not aware (conscious) of activity taking place…but often must prove history of disorder, not just one time defense (EX: man in GA assaulted babysitter of kids, said he was sleepwalking but he had some memory of event, wouldn’t have any recollection if really sleepwalking)

Sleep & Dream Log For the next week, record your sleep and dream patterns! “I AM going to dream” Pen and paper Scribble, write, draw everything uncensored Complete sheet in spare waking time

Dream Log Interpreting Dreams www.dreammoods.com http://dream.dictionary-dream.info www.thecuriousdreamer.com

Sleep Disorders Dyssomnias Parasomnias Disturbance in amount, timing, or quality of sleep. Insomnia - lack of sleep Narcolepsy (animals too) – sleep attacks Obstructive Sleep Apnea – cessation of breathing Abnormal events during deep sleep stages. May disturb sleeper (usually unaware) but also others. Sleep walking / talking Bedwetting Night Terrors Sleep Related Eating Disorder REM Behavior Disorder Sleep Paralysis

Closure How has sleep deprivation affected your life? Which activities contribute most to your sleep deprivation?