1. Sleep & Dreams
Unit 3
Lesson 2

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

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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?

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

13. 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.

14. 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!

15. 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

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

17. 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

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

19. 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

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

21. 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)

22. 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

23. Dream Log Interpreting Dreams www.dreammoods.com

24. 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

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