Higher Psychology - sleep and dreams

Define sleep

"sleep can be defined as a state of reduced conscious awareness during which the body is less active and less responsive to the outside world." Firth 2015.

"The resting state in which the body isn't active and the mind is unconscious" Cambridge English Dictionary.

Define dreams

a sequence of images, ideas, emotions and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

Describe and explain the role of the brain in sleep

Body Clock and Circadian Rhythms

• Our bodies have a natural clock called the body clock or circadian clock.

• This clock helps keep track of time and controls the circadian rhythms, which are body processes that repeat every 24 hours.

• Circadian rhythms include things like when we feel sleepy or awake, and when we feel hungry.

Sleep/Wake Cycle

• One of the main rhythms is the sleep/wake cycle, which tells us when to sleep and when to wake up.

• Most people sleep for 8 hours during a 24-hour period.

• Energy levels drop at certain times, like in the early morning (2-4 a.m.) and after lunch (1-3 p.m.).

Brain Areas

• The hypothalamus and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain help control the body clock and regulate these rhythms.

• The brainstem (at the bottom of the brain) talks to the hypothalamus to switch between being awake and being asleep. The pons is part of the brainstem and helps with these changes.

describe the benefits to each stage of sleep non rem and rem

Stage 1 - Light Sleep (Transition to Sleep)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Muscles relax.

  • Heart rate and breathing slow down.

• Mental Benefits:

  • Moving from being awake to asleep.

  • Calming of the mind.

Stage 2 - Light Sleep (Sleep Spindles)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Body temperature drops.

  • Heart rate and blood pressure decrease.

  • Energy is conserved.

• Mental Benefits:

  • Helps with memory and storing information.

  • Brain activity slows and cognitive function improves.

Stage 3 - Deep Sleep (Slow-Wave Sleep)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Tissue repair.

  • Growth and immune system strengthening.

  • Energy replenishment.

• Mental Benefits:

  • Long-term memory storage.

  • Helps with learning and cognitive function.

Stage 4 - Deep Sleep (Very Restorative Sleep)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Deep tissue repair.

  • Growth hormone release and muscle recovery.

  • Energy restoration.

• Mental Benefits:

  • Provides mental clarity and cognitive functioning.

  • Helps with emotional stability and psychological recovery.

Stage 5 - REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement, Dreaming)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Muscle paralysis (you don't act out dreams).

  • Heart rate and blood pressure rise.

  • Breathing rate increases.

• Mental Benefits:

  • Dreaming happens here.

  • Helps with emotional regulation and problem-solving.

Describe and explain Non-REM and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

Stage 1 - Non-REM (Light Sleep)

• Description: This is the stage between being awake and being asleep.

  • You can still hear sounds like music or people talking.

  • Your eyes are closed but may flicker open.

  • You are drifting off into sleep.

• Key Fact: You’re easily awoken during this stage.

Stage 2 - Non-REM (Light Sleep)

• Description: After about 10 minutes, you start to get less responsive to the environment.

  • You’re sound asleep but still easy to wake up.

  • If woken, you won’t be sure if you’ve been asleep.

  • Sleep spindles (bursts of electrical activity) happen in the brain during this stage.

• Key Fact: This is the stage where your body starts calming down more deeply.

Stage 3 - Non-REM (Deep Sleep)

• Description: About 25 minutes in, your brain starts showing delta waves.

  • This is deep sleep, and you’re very unresponsive to the environment.

  • It’s hard to wake you up during this stage.

• Key Fact: This is the stage where your body is recharging both physically and mentally.

Stage 4 - Non-REM (Very Deep Sleep)

• Description: Stage 4 is similar to stage 3 but deeper.

  • Delta waves dominate the EEG recordings.

  • Only loud noises or shaking will wake you up, and you’ll feel groggy.

  • Growth hormone is released here, and your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure drop to their lowest points.

• Key Fact: This is where sleepwalking, sleeptalking, and night terrors can happen.

Stage 5 - REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

• Description: After about 90 minutes, the brain activity changes to become very mixed.

  • Rapid eye movement happens underneath your eyelids, but your body is temporarily paralyzed (this is called paradoxical sleep).

  • The brain is active, similar to being awake.

  • Most dreaming occurs in this stage. If woken from REM, you will likely recall a dream.

• Key Fact: REM sleep is when your brain is very active, but your body stays still.

Describe and explain how sleep facilitates information processing.

Key Ideas:

1. Sleep Helps the Brain Process Information:

   • When we sleep, our brain helps process the information we take in during the day. This is similar to how a computer files or organizes its data. Sleep lets the brain sort out memories and keep what’s important.

   • The mind is a processor of information, and sleep helps organize and strengthen these memories (Firth, 2015).

2. Information Processing (Computer Analogy):

   • Evans (1984) used a computer analogy to explain how sleep works. He said that the brain needs to reduce outside input (like noise or distractions) while we sleep so it can focus on organizing new information from the day. Just like a computer files away data, the brain does this while you rest.

3. Dreams Help Organize Information:

   • Dreams are believed to be a way for the brain to sort and organize memories. During sleep, the brain is working to clarify and strengthen links between memories. This consolidates information into long-term memory.

4. Sleep and Creativity/Problem-Solving:

   • REM sleep (the sleep stage with rapid eye movement and dreaming) is said to help with creativity and problem-solving. People who did complex tasks before going to sleep had longer REM sleep, which helped them connect new ideas and improve learning and memory.

5. REM Sleep and Emotional Memories:

   • REM sleep also helps strengthen emotional memories. This is linked to the amygdala (a brain part that handles emotions) being more active during REM sleep. So, your emotional experiences may be consolidated during this stage.

6. REM Sleep in Infants:

   • Infants spend more time in REM sleep compared to adults, showing its importance in brain development. REM sleep helps them learn motor skills (how to move or do things), which is important for their growth.

7. Non-REM Sleep and Declarative Memory:

   • Non-REM sleep (the deeper sleep stages) is important for consolidating declarative memories, which are facts and events that you can consciously recall.

Describe and explain manifest and latent content of dreams.

Freud and Dreams: "The Royal Road to the Unconscious"

• Freud believed that dreams are like a gateway to understanding the unconscious mind—the parts of the mind we aren’t fully aware of.

• He thought that if we could understand dreams, we could understand deeper psychological issues or hidden desires (the unconscious).

Manifest vs. Latent Content

• Manifest content is the surface story of the dream. It's what the dream appears to be about—like the literal meaning.

  • Example: If you dream about being in a school, the manifest content is just the school.

• Latent content is the hidden meaning of the dream. It's what the dream is really about—often a symbolic message.

  • Example: If the school dream is actually about feeling judged or learning something important, that is the latent content.

Dreamwork and Interpretation

• Dreamwork is the process of turning latent content (the hidden meaning) into manifest content (the surface story).

• To understand the true meaning of a dream, we need to interpret the manifest content and look for clues about the latent content.

Distortions in Dream Meaning

Freud believed there are three main processes that can distort the real meaning of a dream, making it harder to understand:

1. Condensation: This is when different images or symbols are combined into one. For example, one object in a dream could represent several things at once.

2. Secondary Condensation: This happens when the dreamer adds their own interpretation when telling the dream to someone else. The dream changes slightly because of personal feelings or thoughts.

3. Symbolism: Freud believed that many symbols in dreams have hidden meanings, often related to sexual desires. For example, snakes, ties, and other long objects might symbolize phallic (sexual) images.

Example:

• If someone dreams about a school, the manifest content might just be the school. However, the latent content might reflect deeper feelings like being judged (the fear of others’ opinions) or going through a learning experience (personal growth). The dream is hiding these feelings beneath the surface.

Describe and explain the impact of drugs on sleep.

Drugs and Sleep:

Some drugs can mess with your sleep, making it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. Stimulants are one type of drug. They make you feel more awake and alert.

For example, caffeine is a stimulant. It’s in things like coffee, tea, chocolate, and even some medicine. If you drink coffee in the evening, it can keep you awake because it takes a long time for your body to get rid of it (about 5 hours!).

Another stimulant is amphetamine, which some people use to stay awake, but it can make it hard to sleep later. It's also addictive, meaning it can be hard to stop using it.

Some prescription drugs (medicine from the doctor) can also mess with your sleep. Some might make it hard for you to fall asleep (like some medicine for asthma or blood pressure), while others might make you feel very sleepy (like cold and flu medicine). Some people take antidepressants to help with sadness, but they can also affect sleep.

So, when you take these drugs, they can make it harder or easier to sleep, depending on the type of drug!

Describe and explain the impact of light on sleep.

Artificial Light and Sleep:

Artificial light (like from lamps, screens, and phones) can confuse our body's natural clock. Normally, our body knows when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep. This is done by something called melatonin, which is a hormone that helps us feel sleepy.

What happens with artificial light: When we’re exposed to artificial light, especially blue light from screens (like phones or tablets), our brain doesn’t know if it’s day or night. This messes up the release of melatonin, which means we might not get sleepy when we need to.

The problem with screens: Researchers like Chang et al. (2015) found that if you use tablets or e-readers before bed, it can take longer for you to fall asleep. You also don’t get as much REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep where you dream and restore your brain. Plus, you might feel tired the next morning because of it!

Why this matters: If you use screens in the hour before bed, it can stop you from sleeping well—even if you don't have insomnia! It’s a good idea to avoid screens before bed to help your brain know when it’s time to sleep and to get better rest.

Describe unconscious psychodamic processes.

Freud believed that our mind is like a big house with different rooms. Some rooms are conscious (where we are aware of our thoughts), and others are unconscious (where we are not aware of certain feelings or desires).

The id is the part of our mind that wants instant pleasure (like wanting to eat candy right now or do something fun). The ego is the part of our mind that deals with the real world and makes decisions. The id is in the unconscious part of our mind, and the ego is in the conscious part.

When we sleep: At night, our ego defends us from uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. But when we sleep, the ego defends less, and the id takes over more. So, our unconscious mind can come out and show us things that we want but might not think about during the day.

Dreams: Freud believed that dreams are like a way for our unconscious mind to talk to us. In dreams, we can see our wishes and desires. This is called wish fulfillment. For example, if you dream about flying, it might mean you want more freedom or control over your life. Dreams give us a chance to experience these desires without worrying about the rules of the real world.

In short, when we sleep, our unconscious wishes come out more freely through dreams because our mind’s defences are less active.

Describe conscious psychodamic processes

Imagine your mind is like a big iceberg. The part you can see above the water is the conscious mind, and the huge part underneath the water is the unconscious mind.

• The conscious mind is everything we are aware of. It’s like when you’re thinking about something right now, or when you’re talking about what you’re doing today. It includes your thoughts, feelings, memories, and even fantasies that you can talk about or think about.

• The preconscious mind is like stuff that’s just below the surface of your awareness. It’s not something you’re thinking about right now, but you can easily bring it to mind. For example, you might not be thinking about your friend's birthday, but if someone asks, you can remember it right away.

• The unconscious mind is where we hide things that we don’t want to think about, like disturbing thoughts or feelings. These things are repressed or pushed down, so we don’t think about them consciously. But they still affect us in other ways, like in dreams or hidden emotions.

So, in simple terms:

• The conscious mind is what you know and think about right now.

• The preconscious mind is stuff you can easily think about but aren’t right now.

• The unconscious mind is like the hidden part of your mind, where we keep things we don't want to think about.

What is suppression?

When you try to stop yourself from thinking or feeling something, like getting angry or sad, that’s called repression. It’s like trying to push something into a box and hide it, hoping it won’t come out.

But, the thing is, repression doesn’t work that well. The feelings or thoughts you try to push away don’t just disappear. Instead, they come back stronger later, especially when you're relaxed, like when you're asleep. This is why suppressed emotions like anger can show up in your dreams.

According to Freud, dreams are like secret messages from your unconscious mind. He believed that dreams are a way for your mind to fulfill wishes that you couldn’t have during the day. So, if you wanted something but couldn't get it (like a wish or desire), your mind creates fantasies in your dreams to give you what you wanted, even if it’s not real.

In simple terms:

• Repression is when you try to hide emotions or thoughts.

• But those feelings don’t stay hidden. They come out later, often in your dreams.

• Dreams help you fulfill those wishes that were suppressed during the day.

What is repression?

When someone pushes away a painful or disturbing thought, memory, or feeling to make their mind feel better or less worried, this is called repression. They try to avoid thinking about it, hoping it won’t affect them anymore. But, the thing is, these repressed thoughts don’t really disappear. Instead, they stay in the unconscious mind, where you aren’t aware of them.

Over time, if these thoughts keep getting pushed away, they can cause psychological problems. That’s because they don’t go away; they just hide.

These hidden thoughts can pop up in different ways, like:

• Dreams: Repressed thoughts might show up as symbols or stories in your dreams.

• Freudian slips: These are when you accidentally say something you didn’t mean to say, like mixing up words, revealing something you’ve repressed.

In simple terms:

• Repression is when you try to ignore bad or painful thoughts.

• These thoughts stay hidden in your unconscious mind.

• They can come out in dreams or slips of the tongue (saying something you didn't mean).

What is displacement?

Displacement is when you take a feeling or emotion that you have towards one thing and redirect it to something else, usually something less threatening or easier to deal with.

For example, if you're really angry at your teacher for giving you a bad grade, but you don’t feel safe expressing your anger to them, you might displace that anger onto someone else, like shouting at your friend or your family, who aren’t the cause of your anger.

So, instead of expressing your true feelings at the right target, you move those feelings to something or someone else.

In simple terms:

• Displacement is when you feel something (like anger) but can't show it to the person you're really upset with, so you show it somewhere else instead.

Evidence for an endogenous pacemaker (body clock)

1. Michel Siffre’s case (1962):

   • Siffre lived underground for two months without any clocks, sunlight, or other ways of tracking time.

   • He kept a record of when he woke up, ate, or went to sleep, and communicated with research assistants about his guesses on the date and time.

   • When he came out, he found that he was 25 days off from his time estimates.

   • However, his body kept a sleep-wake cycle of about 24 hours and 30 minutes, even without external cues like daylight, showing that the circadian rhythm is biologically driven and not just influenced by outside time cues like clocks or the sun.

2. Morgan’s study (1955):

   • Morgan bred hamsters to have a 20-hour circadian rhythm (shorter than the normal 24 hours).

   • He removed neurons from the SCN (a part of the brain controlling sleep-wake cycles) of the hamsters with the 20-hour rhythm and transplanted them into normal hamsters.

   • The normal hamsters then adapted to the 20-hour rhythm, showing that the SCN plays a key role in controlling the biological rhythm and can actually change it.

In simple terms:

• Michel Siffre’s experiment shows that our body's internal clock keeps going, even without sunlight or time cues. Our body has its own natural rhythm.

• Morgan’s experiment shows that the brain, specifically the SCN, controls the sleep-wake cycle and can even change it if needed.