Understanding and Using Dreams to Learn and to Forget
Main Takeaways
Sleep occurs in 90-minute cycles called the ultradian rhythm, with more slow-wave sleep in the earlier cycles and more REM sleep in later cycles.
Neuromodulators such as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine play a significant role in modifying brain circuits during sleep.
Lucid dreaming, which occurs in about 20% of people, can disrupt sleep's restorative effects and leave one feeling less rested.
Slow-wave sleep is characterized by active neuromodulators such as norepinephrine and serotonin, making it a prime time for motor learning and cognitive information processing.
During REM sleep, we are entirely laid out and paralyzed, and the circuitry involved in conscious eye movement is active.
Nightmares are more likely to occur during slow-wave sleep, while REM sleep allows us to review troubling situations without fear and anxiety.
Lack of REM sleep can make people emotionally irritable and prone to catastrophizing events.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy mimics REM sleep and is most effective for single-event trauma.
Ketamine and PCP can mimic REM sleep and are used in some emergency rooms to prevent the learning of emotions soon after trauma.
Consistently getting the same amount of sleep, avoiding alcohol and marijuana, and engaging in resistance exercise can improve sleep quality.
