Sleep and dreaming

• Activation synthesis theory of dreaming

  Dreams are a result of our mind trying to make sense of brain activation during sleep
• Freudian theory of dreaming

  • The unconscious mind contains unacceptable thoughts, feelings and desires that our conscious mind cannot deal with and are considered unacceptable in society
  • Dreams allow us to access the unconscious mind
• Williams et al. (1992) study into the bizarreness of dreams & fantasies
• Insomnia


  1. Damage to the hypothalamus can occur after surgery, trauma or disease. The SCN is part of the hypothalamus- damage to this can lead to insomnia.
  2. Damage to the pineal gland (regulates melatonin production), can also lead to insomnia.
• Ways to improve on sleep problems

  Relaxation techniques - Clearing the mind/writing down concerns (to reduce anxiety & worry) AND deep breathing & relieving tension in body through visualisation. Balances the nervous system by calming the sympathetic nervous system & supporting the parasympathetic nervous system to do its job.

  1. Sleep Hygiene - make changes to health (diet/exercise/ coffee etc.) and physical environment to promote sleep - reduce light/ electronic equipment (light- block melatonin production) - regulate temperature - comfortable - bedroom decluttered & clocks faces turned away
• Wish fulfilment


  In sleep the ego is weakened & the unconscious mind tries to break through into our consciousness. In order to satisfy these unconscious desires we dream, this is known as wish fulfilment (e.g. being able to eat all the icecream you want).
• Manifest content & latent content of dreams

  Manifest content - what we actually see in our dreams – disguises the latent content through symbolism (e.g. falling in a dream).

  Latent content - which is the true meaning of our dreams (e.g. being afraid of failing at something).
• Activation synthesis theory - role of the limbic system


  The bizarreness of dreams is due to the brain activity during REM sleep. Because the brain waves activate many different brain areas such as the limbic system (which controls emotions) the resulting dreams are bizarre & emotional.
• Sleep cycle


  Stage 1 - 10% Stage 2 - 50% Stage 3 - 10% Stage 4 - 10% Rapid Eye Movement (REM) - 20%
• Neuropsychology of sleep


  Endogenous pacemakers - internal biological clocks- manage circadian rhythms (e.g. Suprachiasmatic nucleus)

  Exogenous Zeitgebers - features of the environment that manage circadian rhythms (e.g. light)

  Hypothalamus - controls key bodily functions

  Melatonin - hormone that induces sleep. Released by the pineal gland.
• During REM sleep, body is paralysed, but activity increases in area of brainstem called the pons - random brain waves are generated.
• The theory suggests that the mind is like an iceberg; it consists of our conscious mind and unconscious mind (we are normally unable to access it).
• Freud's interpretation of 'The Wolfman' dream