BBB - Sleeping and Dreaming Lesson

Learning Target:

• Discuss aspects of sleep and dreaming. 

AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2020. (n.d.). https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Consciousness and Sleep

The awareness of ourselves and our surroundings makes up our consciousness. It is our immediate thoughts, sensations, and memories. The study of consciousness in psychology began in the late 1800s following the study of introspection. However, at the turn of the twentieth century, the study of consciousness was rejected as behaviorism took over. The behaviorists believed that for psychology to remain a scientific topic one needs to look to overt behaviors that could be measured, observed, and verified.

In the late 1950s, with modern technologies and new knowledge, psychologists once again looked to unconsciousness to explain behavior. It was now clear that a complete understanding of behavior would not be possible without also understanding consciousness.

Each day we experience variations in our levels of consciousness. You have noticed various levels of awareness and times when you are less aware throughout the day. Most of us experience distinct levels of awareness either sometime in the morning or late at night. Most of us experience our lowest levels at around 3 am or 3 pm. EEG waves also show us that when we are sleeping, sleep is not a mindless activity.

Take a moment to review the presentation below to learn what happens in the brain during sleep.

REM Rebound

Before you read this section, ask yourself the question below. What is your answer?

People often wonder if you can make up for lost sleep in just one night. The answer is NO! Researchers have found through observation in sleep studies that if you are robbed consistently of REM sleep, the next opportunity that you must sleep uninterrupted you will experience REM rebound (A phenomenon in which a person deprived of REM sleep increases the amount of REM sleep at the first opportunity to sleep uninterrupted.). REM sleep can increase by as much as 50% and you will also spend more time in Stages 3 & 4.

Theories on Sleep

There are two main theories that aim to describe why we sleep. The first is called the Restorative Theory. The Restorative Theory of Sleep suggests that sleep helps us to recuperate and restore the daily breakdown of our bodies. NREM restores the body while REM restores mental and brain functions. Evidence to support this theory stems from research that has shown that NREM sleep increases after times of sleep deprivation, stress, starvation, or other strenuous activity. Support for REM sleep is found in the amount of time spent in REM by the developing fetus, infants, and children which begins to decrease with adulthood.

The second theory is called the Adaptive Theory or sometimes called the Evolutionary Theory of Sleep. This theory suggests that the sleep patterns of different animals are evolutionary. For example, animals that are natural predators (like the lion) sleep more than their prey (the gazelle). These sleep patterns evolved as a way of keeping that animal from engaging in hazardous activities.

Daydreaming

Daydreaming is a mild form of altered consciousness. When one daydreams, attention shifts from immediate surroundings to other thoughts. It is characterized by feelings of relaxation, being alone, or bored. Approximately ten percent of our day is devoted to daydreaming. Some look down upon daydreaming as inactivity, but it has many benefits.

When we daydream, we provide our minds with time to take a break. It is helpful for preparing for future events, nourishing our social development, curtailing anxiety, managing personal conflicts, and maintaining relationships. It is also good for boosting productivity and creativity.

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