STAGES OF SLEEP
What Happens When We Sleep?
 Sleep occurs in a recurring cycle of 90 to 110 minutes
and is divided into two categories: Non-REM (which is
further split into four stages) and REM sleep.
 There are four stages in the non-REM sleep.
 REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement.
Brain Waves
 Beta
 Alpha
 Theta
 Delta
Stages of Sleep: Pre-sleep stage
 Awake and Alert
 Beta waves
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Functions: calm, alert, active, ready to learn
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May take about 15 minutes to go thru this stage
 Adjust pillows, comforters, start to relax
Stages of Sleep: Pre-sleep stage
 Awake – but Drowsy
 Alpha waves
 Functions: relaxed, harder to concentrate, want to go to sleep
 Hypnogogic Hallucinations
Vivid images, bizarre
 Jerky movements
 Sensation of “falling”
 “Bed gravity,” floating,
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Stage 1 Sleep: Alpha to Theta Waves
 Non-REM
 Breathing slows down
 Disengage from sensation
 Vivid mental imagery– Everyday activities, not “bizarre”
dreams
Stage 2: Theta – K complexes - Delta
 Non-REM
 Brief periods of brain activity
 Small muscle twitches
 Breathing rhythmical
Stage 3: Theta - Delta - Theta
 Non-REM
 Slow wave sleep
 Probably a transition stage
Stage 4: Delta Waves – 100%
 Non-REM
 Oblivious to outside world
 Sleep-walking, sleep-talking occur here
 Very difficult to wake up- but can have activities
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Answer the phone, talk, etc…
 Then…you ascend back up through these stages
and enter your 1st dream
Then you ascend back up through these
stages and enter Dream Sleep…
Dreams
 An individual will have approximately 4-5
dreams/night
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1.5-3.0 hours of sleep time spent dreaming
They increase in length as the night progresses
 Most mammals dream
 Intense emotions, illogical, bizarre events are
accepted
REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
 Body functions during REM
 Brain neurons fire more
 Increased blood pressure
 Increased respiration
 Increased heart-rate
 Body is paralyzed…
 Nightmares occur now = frightening, unpleasant
dreams
 No sleep walking during REM
Why do we dream?
 Many theories – no one really knows??
 Might relate to the idea that at this stage of rest
we are…
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Reviewing physical tasks
Learning, integrating and consolidating knowledge
Finding solutions to problems or working out difficult
emotions
Finding inspiration: songs, math proofs, art work
Dealing with trauma – used as a coping mechanism
“Rebooting the system” – used to refresh the brain after a
long day
Why do we dream?
 Con’t
 Rehearsing what to do in an emergency:
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“Threat simulation” Dreams are a training ground in which
animals and people rehearse what to do in an emergency so you
are more prepared to act on instinct.
Two-thirds of all dreams involve some type of aggression
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Physical fights
Verbal arguments
Car crashes
Falling or drowning
Missing a test or meeting
Being lost or trapped
Terrorist attacks
Theories of dreaming…
 Freud – Dreams reflect unconscious urges,
desires, unresolved childhood issues…
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These problems are resolved in dreams
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Manifest Content = The actual images in the dream.
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Latent Content = The disguised psychological meaning
that must be interpreted. “Wish Fulfillment”
Theories of dreaming…
 Activation – Synthesis Model
 Dreams are products of brain neuron activity in the visual
cortex, memory areas, and emotion areas.
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Hippocampus and the Amygdala
No external stimulus; so brain tries to make sense of
neuron activity = content of a “dream”
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Explains randomness of dreams
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Prefrontal cortex shuts down during REM
 So, you have fewer inhibitions and don’t question illogical
parts of dreams
Theories of dreaming…
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Inner Work by Robert A. Johnson
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Based on Jungian theories
“The more we face the unconsciousness and to try to
understand its content- - - the more we derive a true sense
of ourselves…”
Don’t take dreams/images literally
Dreams show us - in symbolic form - all the different
personalities that are within us.
Each person in the dream represents an aspect of the
dreamer…
“Inner Work” Process
1.
Make associations that link unconscious to the
dream image.
- take your time
- work through each image
Connect images to inner self, ask “what part of me
is that?”
3. Make big connections, ask “what is the central
meaning?” “What is my dream advising?” “Does this
teach me something about myself?”
4. Take action
2.
- but don’t try and change the world
- small changes are better – think simple
“With great power comes great responsibility”
Theories of dreams…
 Crick Theory
 Dreams “flush” out excessive information or thoughts
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Toilet Bowl
Theories of dreaming…
 Information Processing
 Dreams sift, sort, file, or fix the days experiences
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Files needed info into long-term memory
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Deletes unneeded info
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“random access” like a computer’s memory
Theories of dreaming…
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Second Sightings by Judith Orloff, M.D.
 Guidance Dreams:
 Dreams try to tell you something or inform you
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Offer solutions to problems, questions
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Sort out emotions
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“Fantasy life”
Theories of dreaming…
 Judith Orloff:
 Precognitive
 Dreams foretell the future and may be difficult to
understand
Theories of dreaming…
 Judith Orloff:
 Healing Theory
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Show us where we are sick
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Tell us how to get well
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Physical and mental
Theories of dreaming…
 Pre-sleep Stimulation Theory
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Dreams are a response to activities near bedtime
Watch a tv show and then dream about – or incorporate
yourself into the show
 Talk to a friend and then dream about them
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Theories of dreaming…
 Telepathy Theory
 Dreams convey messages or information from/to other
people
Theories of dreaming…
 Carl Jung
 Doesn’t believe in symbols
 Actual images are interpreted
 Need to amplify content and add personal insight = “what
is going on in my life?”
 Think about cultural associations; religion, folk lore
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Archetypes