PSY.Dreaming

Bellringer Ms. Knight can never fall asleep when she returns from Washington State. This is due to the 3-hour time difference. Use your knowledge of the Circadian Rhythm to explain jet lag.

Sleep EEG records are used to study the sleep process. The sleep wave patterns are characterized by their frequencies (cycles per second) – beta waves, 14 to 30 cycles per second – alpha waves, 8 to 13 cycles per second – theta waves, 4 to 7 cycles per second – delta waves, under 4 cycles per second

The stages of sleep Stage 1 sleep – Relaxed wakefulness – Alpha waves – Less desynchronised brain activity – Easy to awaken Many people may experience a sensation of falling during stage 1, this may cause a sudden muscle contraction. This jerk is called a hypnic myoclonia

The stages of sleep Stage 2 sleep – Deep, slow brain waves, Delta Waves start. This is the transitional period between light sleep & a very deep – Heart & breathing rate continue to fall – Difficult to awaken.

The stages of sleep REM sleep after about 90 minutes EEG shows SHIFT into fast, desynchronised brain activity (rapid eye movement) – Eyes may be moving – Dreams happen in REM – Temporary sleep paralysis (to keep you from acting out your dreams) – EEGS show REM brain waves are similar to those of wakefulness

REM sleep

The stages of sleep Once REM sleep is over, we usually return to stage 2 sleep. Sleep cycles through these stages four or five times a night. Each REM cycle becomes longer, so we actually dream more toward morning.

Why do we dream? According to the Cognitive Problem Solving Model dreams are a type of thinking. – We have no constraints on our thoughts during sleep and so we are free to work out problems while we are sleeping

Why do we dream? According to the Activation Synthesis Model, dreams are the byproducts of surges of neural activity in the brain. Our brains receive random neural impulses and tries to make sense of them in random dreams.

Why do we dream? According to Freud and the Psychoanalytic Theory, our dreams are a result of our subconscious and the information it holds. What we cannot process consciously, or speak about in public, we dream about. The ID drives our dreams!

Why do we dream? Other Theories of Dreams: Our brains trying to interpret external stimuli during sleep – For example, the sound of the radio may be incorporated into the content of a dream Dreams serve to ‘ clean up ’ clutter from the mind, much like clean-up operations in a computer, our brains de-frag Our dreams function as a form of psychotherapy. In dreams we are able to make connections between different thoughts & emotions in a safe environment.

Group Therapy (in journals) Partner 1: Patient Partner 2: Therapist 1.Both partners write down key details from a recent or regularly recurring dream in their journals.

Group Therapy (in journals) Partner 1: Patient Partner 2: Therapist 2. Patient, share this dream with the therapist. 3. Therapist must use cognitive problem-solving, activation-synthesis, or psychotherapeutic model to assess why this dream occurred. Record the diagnosis in the patient’s journal. Therapist and Patient Switch!

Exit Ticket (in journals) What is the importance of a Circadian Rhythm? How is the amount of sleep we get each night connected to our behavior?

Brain Games 1.Why would your hand suddenly drop an object if you are sleep deprived? 2.What is a “micro sleep”? 3.On average, what percentage of Americans don’t get adequate sleep?

Meditation Meditation results in a relaxed yet fully alert state of consciousness.

Meditation Even though meditation is an activity centered in the mind, it results in the following physiological changes: Lower rate of metabolism Reduced heart rate Stress relief

Meditation