Sleep/Dream (Essay 3)

Does everyone dream? Why or why not?

People who believe they do not dream or enter REM sleep are simply not remembering their dreams. Everyone enters the REM sleep cycle, therefore everyone dreams. Not only does everyone dream, but everyone also has several episodes of dreams every night of sleep. Generally, the ability to recall a dream is tied to whether or not you wake up after having the dream or not. In other words, if you wake during or immediately after a dream occurs, chances are you will remember it and if you sleep through it, you probably will not. Some people can remember their dreams vividly for extended periods of time, and others forget them rather quickly.

WiseGeek

What causes dreams?

According to the Freudian   school,  dreams   are   the result   of subconscious thoughts and desires. The other extreme attributes dreams to random "noise" in the neurons without special meaning.

My own understanding - that dreams are made of many small parts. From memory and imagination, this is united to generate images of dream.

"What Causes Dreams"

How much sleep does an average person need?

What are the effects of a lack of sleep?

• Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
• Increase in body mass index – a greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
• Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
• Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

National Sleep Foundation

How long should it take to fall asleep?

On average, it takes seven minutes to fall asleep. Contrary to popular belief, sleep is not a time where the body shuts down to rest. Some types of brain activity increase, and some types of hormone production increase as well. There also is no evidence that any major organs shut down, though the metabolic rate might slow down a bit.

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Random Sleep Facts:

• There are more than 70 known sleep disorders.
• In the United States, about 250,000 people suffer from narcolepsy, a disorder that causes extreme daytime fatigue and may cause a person to suddenly fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as as work or driving a car. More than 3 million people worldwide suffer from the disorder.
• Babies fall asleep directly into REM sleep.
• On average, people have about 1,460 dreams per year.
• The human sleep cycle averages about 90 to 110 minutes.
• The brown bat sleeps the most hours per day on average: 19.9 hours.
• The giraffe sleeps the least number of hours per day, clocking just 1.9 hours on average.

WiseGeek2

How much sleep is needed on average?



National Sleep Foundation

Are there any sleeping disorders?

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Some sleeping disorders are:

Insomnia and Sleep Apnea

Insomnia is an extremely common sleep disorder

Person has trouble falling and/or staying asleep.

Sleep apnea occurs when a person stops breathing during sleep.

Restless Leg Syndrome and Narcolepsy

Restless leg syndrome occurs when a person has an irritating feeling in their legs such as cramping, tingling or pulling

They have to move their legs to stop it.

Narcolepsy is a disorder where a person has no control when or where they fall asleep.

Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder and Hypersomnia

In Rapid Eye Movement Disorder (RBD), a person acts out nightmares that occur during the REM sleep cycle.

Hypersomnia occurs when a person is always tired during the dya even if they sleep the right amount of time night.

Sleepwalking and Nocturia

When sleepwalking, people act what they would do if they were awaking like walking or eating.

Nocturia is the recurring need to use the bathroom throughout the night.

Bruxism and Hypopnea

Bruxism is a condition where a person clenches their jaw during sleep.

 Hypopnea occurs when a person doesn't breathe fully enough during sleep and therefore does not get enough oxygen.

Other Less Common Sleep Disorders

Snoring, jet lag, delayed sleep phase syndrome, cataplexy, night terrors, parasomnia and sleep paralysis

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