Lecture 20: Dreaming

NREM sleep

Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep, characterized by quiet brain activity and deep sleep, comprising about 75% of total sleep.

REM sleep

Rapid Eye Movement sleep, where most vivid dreaming occurs, marked by rapid eye movement, muscle atonia, and brain activity.

DLPFC

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; its deactivation during REM sleep may lead to dreamers not noticing the bizarreness of dreams.

Dream Incubation

The process of focusing on a specific concern or goal before sleep, allowing the subconscious to work on it during dreaming.

Threat Simulation Theory (TST)

A theory suggesting that dreaming evolved to practice responses to dangerous situations to improve survival behaviors.

Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis

The theory that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of chaotic neural impulses during sleep.

Lucid Dreaming

A state in which the dreamer is aware they are dreaming and may have control over their actions and dream content.

Sleep Paralysis

A state where the mind is awake but the body is still in muscle atonia, often leading to terrifying hallucinations.

Visual spatial skills

Cognitive ability that correlates with better dream recall, relating to visualization and spatial reasoning.

Selection bias in dreaming

A phenomenon where people only remember and rehearse bizarre dreams, neglecting those that are ordinary.