NREM & REM Sleep, Insomnia, and Dreams (Video Notes)

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering NREM sleep stages (1-3), REM sleep, insomnia, and dream theories (Freud, Jung, Cartwright & Hobson), including related phenomena like sleep spindles, K-complexes, delta waves, REM rebound, and lucid dreaming.

NREM Stage 1

Transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep; respiration and heart rate slow down.

NREM Stage 2

Deep relaxation stage characterized by sleep spindles and K-complexes.

Sleep spindles

Rapid bursts of high-frequency brainwaves occurring during Stage 2 of NREM sleep.

K-complexes

Large, high-amplitude waves that occur during Stage 2 of NREM sleep.

Stage 3 (NREM)

Slow-wave sleep; deepest NREM stage with very slow brain activity.

Delta waves

High-amplitude, low-frequency brain waves associated with deep (Stage 3) sleep.

REM sleep

Stage with rapid eye movements, paralysis of voluntary muscles, and brain waves similar to wakefulness.

REM rebound

Increase in REM sleep following REM sleep deprivation.

REM atonia

Paralysis of voluntary muscles during REM sleep.

Brain waves during REM

Brain waves resemble wakefulness (mixed/low-amplitude activity) despite paralysis and REM features.

Alpha waves

EEG pattern of relaxed wakefulness (about 8–12 Hz).

Theta waves

EEG pattern seen in light sleep or drowsiness (about 4–7 Hz).

Insomnia

Difficulty falling or staying asleep, occurring at least 3 nights per week for at least one month.

Contributing factors to insomnia

Age, drug use, exercise, mental status, and bedtime routines can influence insomnia.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

Therapy focusing on changing cognitive processes and problem behaviors to treat insomnia.

Stress management techniques

Strategies used to reduce stress, which can help improve sleep.

Bedtime routines

Regular patterns around bedtime that can affect sleep quality.

Dreams (general)

Mental experiences during sleep that involve images, thoughts, and emotions.

Manifest content

The actual content of a dream, according to Freud.

Latent content

The hidden meaning behind the dream, according to Freud.

Sigmund Freud (dreams view)

Dreams reveal the unconscious mind (Freud’s perspective).

Carl Jung (dreams view)

Dreams can tap into the collective unconscious and reflect universal archetypes.

Collective unconscious

Jung’s idea of a shared reservoir of symbols across humanity.

Archetypes

Universal symbols or patterns in dreams and myth that appear across cultures.

Cartwright & Hobson (dreams view)

Dreams may reflect important life events and may represent protoconsciousness or virtual reality.

Protoconsciousness

A proposed state in which dreams represent a form of preparatory or virtual reality-like processing.

Lucid dreams

Dreams in which some aspects of wakefulness are maintained during dreaming.