Sleep, Dreams & Psychological Foundations

Exam Information and Study Review

Exam Details

  • Date: This upcoming Thursday.

  • Allowed Materials:

    • Textbook

    • Notes

    • Computer (for local files)

  • Prohibited Materials:

    • Web browser

    • ChatGPT browser

    • Actionable Item: Turn off browsers during the exam.

  • Goal: To have a very successful first exam due to thorough class preparation and increasing student participation.

  • Logistics: The exam will be on Blackboard. For students without computer access in class, arrangements for a lab will be made.

Assignments and Review Session

  • Sleep Diary: An interesting exercise. Students were asked to keep a sleep diary.

  • Exam Review Session:

    • Date: This upcoming Tuesday.

    • Preparation: Students should come prepared with questions they have submitted, either printed or on their computer.

    • Hypothesis Presentation: Students should be ready to present the hypothesis they intend to test using the 77 days of personal sleep data collected (Tuesday through Monday).

  • Next Week's Content: No new content will be introduced next week, only the review on Tuesday and the exam on Thursday.

Sleep and Dreaming: Introduction to Sleep Disorders

General Causes of a Bad Night's Sleep (Symptoms of Sleep Disorders)

  • Daytime Fatigue: Feeling very tired, sometimes making it difficult to fall asleep.

  • Difficulty Falling or Staying Asleep: Waking up during the night (e.g., due to noise, common in dorms).

  • Irritability or Anxiety: Stress from upcoming events (e.g., tests, trips) can prevent sleep.

  • Depression: A psychological factor.

  • Lack of Concentration: A cognitive symptom.

  • Urge to Take Naps: While short naps are acceptable, long naps (exceeding 2525 minutes) indicate sleep debt rather than a quick refresh.

    • Example: An employee routinely took two 1010-minute naps a day (at 9 AM and 1 PM) and worked extended hours until 7-8 PM, demonstrating a personal sleep rhythm that was productive.

Chronic Sleep Disorders

  • Insomnia:

    • Definition: Inadequate chronic sleep.

    • Prevalence: Most common sleep disorder.

    • Characteristics: Not a one-off bad night; it is a recurring, chronic problem.

  • Narcolepsy:

    • Definition: A disease causing unexpected falling asleep or waking up (rude awakenings).

    • Characteristics: Individuals may suddenly fall asleep even when actively engaged.

    • Historical Context: One of the first entries in the DSM.

  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):

    • Description: The