Sleep and dream

Everyone sleeps and sleep is one of the most essential event in our life which keeps our body works properly. Without enough sleep, all kinds of problems will come up. We cannot concentrate in class or on work if we don’t get enough sleep. We will find it hard to memorize things without enough sleep. We will have various health issues because our immune system does not function well. Without enough sleep, people might get headache or feel unlikely to eat. There are a lot of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea. So when we sleep, our brain gets rest.

REM sleep begins with signals from an area at the base of the brain called the pons. These signals travel to a brain region called the thalamus, which relays them to the cerebral cortex – the outer layer of the brain that is responsible for learning, thinking, and organizing information (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke). Scientists have discovered that dreams almost always happens during REM sleep. REM sleep stimulates the learning part of brains and this explains why infants spend lots of time sleep than adults do so that babies learn things fast.

Deep sleep coincides with the release of growth hormone in children and young adults. Many of the body’s cells also show increased production and reduced breakdown of proteins during deep sleep. Since proteins are the building blocks needed for cell growth and for repair of damage from factors like stress and ultraviolet rays, deep sleep may truly be “beauty sleep.” (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

If sleep deprivation continues, hallucinations and mood swings may develop. Some experts believe sleep gives neurons used while we are awake a chance to shut down and repair themselves. Without sleep, neurons may become so depleted in energy or so polluted with byproducts of normal cellular activities that they begin to malfunction. Sleep also may give the brain a chance to exercise important neuronal connections that might otherwise deteriorate from lack of activity. Some scientists believe dreams are the cortex’s attempt to find meaning in the random signals that it receives during REM sleep. The cortex is the part of the brain that interprets and organizes information from the environment during consciousness. (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

As the research found out, dreams do affect our sleep quality. And here are some suggestions from (Med Harvard)

Baby smiling in bed with eyes closed and arms out.

Baby smiling in bed with eyes closed and arms out.

) that help improve our sleep

  1. Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep
  2. Turn your bedroom into a sleep-inducing environment
  3. Establish a soothing pre-sleep routine
  4. Go to sleep when you’re truly tired
  5. Don’t be a nighttime clock-watcher
  6. Use light to your advantage
  7. Keep your internal clock set with a consistent sleep schedule
  8. Nap early-or not at all
  9. Lighten up on evening meals
  10. Balance fluid intake
  11. Exercise early
  12. Follow through

One thought on “Sleep and dream

  1. Marisa Rose Defilippo

    I enjoyed reading your post since I have found myself so exhausted lately. Your post was so detailed and provided great explanations on the effects of sleep deprivation on ones body. I felt that this post was extremely relevant to new college students since we are all still trying to adjust to a different lifestyle. Especially with an increased workload, a long night of sleep seems to be hard to obtain. The tips for a better nights sleep were so helpful and I will keep those in mind next time I have trouble sleeping.

Comments are closed.