Sleep: Sleep Disorders, Sleep Loss, and Dreams Flashcards
Insomnia
Recurring problems
falling or staying
asleep
1 in 5 adults
Chronic tiredness,
increased risk of
depression &
hypertension
Narcolepsy
Sudden sleep attacks
where the afflicted
lapses directly in REM
sleep
1 in 2000 adults
Risk of falling asleep
at dangerous times
Sleep apnea
Stopping breathing
repeatedly while
sleeping
1 in 20 adults
Fatigue & depression,
obesity
Sleepwalking (somnambulism)
Repeated episodes of
complex motor behavior;
happens in NREM 3
1-15 in 100 adults
No serious concerns
REM sleep behavior
disorder
Acting out the content
of dreams
1 in 100 adults
Risk of injury
Information-processing theory (consolidation theory)
dreams help to process & form our day’s
experiences into memories
Activation-synthesis theory
the brain’s attempt to make sense of random neural activity spreading up from the
brainstem; brain “weaves” stories around the random neural activity
■ Brain scans show increased activation in the limbic system (amygdala) during emotional dreams
■ Frontal lobe is relatively inactive during dreaming, possibly explaining why we have less inhibition when we are
dreaming (may do things we would not do in real life)
Physiological function
regular brain stimulation during REM sleep may help develop & preserve neural pathways
■ Does not explain why we experience meaningful dreams
Cognitive development
dream content often reflects dreamers’ level of cognitive development; dreams simulate our lives
■ Before age 9, children’s dreams more like slideshows
REM rebound
tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation
○ Occurs in most other mammals - REM sleep seems to have a deep biological function
○ Non-mammals do not experience REM sleep - behavior is less influenced by learning - supports information-processing theory
