3 ARTICLES PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS RELATED TO SLEEP, DREAMING, STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS, & AGING ISSUES
ARTICLE #1
TITLE
How long you sleep could increase Alzheimer’s, dementia risk
DESCRIPTION
As humans get older, their sleep patterns change, and most complain that they either do not get enough sleep, or that the sleep is not as refreshing as when younger. There is now research that looks at sleep patterns and increased cognitive decline in terms of both Alzheimer’s and dementia. “Disrupted sleep is common in late life, the study authors wrote, and associated with changes in cognitive function — the mental capacity for learning, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, remembering and paying attention.
Age-related changes in sleep have also been linked with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, depression and cardiovascular disease, so the authors investigated possible associations between self-reported sleep duration, demographic and lifestyle factors, subjective and objective cognitive function, and participants’ levels of beta amyloid.” The article provides details about how the study was conducted and concludes that there are many factors that do affect cognitive decline. The researchers did, indeed, find a relation between not enough sleep time and cognitive decline as well as issues with sleeping too long.
This is a good article to help understand late adulthood problems, the physiology of sleep, neurological understanding of Beta Amyloid, and the problems due to amyloid buildup as related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
SOURCE
CNN, August 30, 2021, by Kristen Rogers
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/yv5vsw23
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
•The first article discusses cognitive issues and aging. What do Psychologists mean when they talk about cognitive function ?
•What is the Beta Amyloid hypothesis as relates to Alzheimer’s disease?
•What does the research demonstrate regarding either insufficient and/or excessive sleep in older people?
•What other factors are hypothesized to be related to the increase in the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
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ARTICLE #2
TITLE
Being chased, losing your teeth or falling down? What science says about recurring dreams
DESCRIPTION
This is genuinely a fascinating article. The article provides an in depth understanding of recurring dreams. “Recurring dreams often occur during times of stress, or over long periods of time, sometimes several years or even a lifetime. Not only do these dreams have the same themes, they can also repeat the same narrative night after night. .. Although the exact content of recurring dreams is unique to every individual, there are common themes among individuals and even among cultures and in different periods. For example, being chased, falling, being unprepared for an exam, arriving late or trying to do something repeatedly are among the most prevalent scenarios.” The article examines many hypotheses about recurrent dreams, types of dreams, and a perspective on both the physiological basis as well as an individual’s particular psychological and emotional state. Also, the article provides a few solutions that a person might try in order to control the recurring dreams.
This is an article that can be used with the topics of sleep and dreams as well as stress and health.
SOURCE
The Conversation, August 18, 2021, by Beth Daley
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/3x4y44vp
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
•First: describe and explain the normal sleep process and REM stages.
•What is thought to be a recurrent dream? How prevalent are recurrent dreams? What are the most common themes?
•What are some of the hypotheses as to why we have recurrent dreams? Include the purpose and function of recurrent dreams in your explanation.
•How are issues of stress, conflict, and anxiety related to recurring dreams?
•Have you ever had a recurring dream? Can you pinpoint the causes and relate this to the article?
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ARTICLE #3
TITLE
Why Do I Feel Sleepy Until the Moment I Get in Bed?
DESCRIPTION
Did you ever feel so tired that you would doze off during an activity such as watch TV or a video, then get into bed and found yourself wide awake for what feels like ages? “Lying in bed unable to fall asleep is often called conditioned or lured arousal, says sleep-medicine specialist Philip Gehrman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. It’s one of the most common sleep problems, and experts think it happens because something in your sleep environment has told your brain that getting in bed should “arouse” you or wake you up, instead of put you to sleep… “If someone is a good sleeper, then each night they probably get in bed and fall asleep. So when they get into bed it triggers this auto response of sleepiness,” Gehrman says. “But if you spend night after night tossing and turning not being able to fall asleep, then your body associates that with your bed instead.” There may be a myriad of other reasons that include a variety of stressors, however, once this problem begins it may continue even though the stressors have been eliminated. One treatment for this type of sleep onset issue is Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia or CBT-I. This is a type of retraining treatment to improve sleep functioning with a certified practitioner who will first assess the problem and then work out a program to repair the sleep, and this may take place over a number of sessions. This is an empirically validated effective treatment. Suggestions are offered for self-help as well in the article.
The article can be used in conjunction with the chapters on states of consciousness and sleep.
SOURCE
Time, February 28, 2017, by Abigail Abrams
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/5b8z47ey
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
•What are some of the reasons given for sleep onset insomnia?
•How might personal stressors affect sleep?
•What is CBT-I? How does this treatment help with repairing the sleep problems and sleep cycle?
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