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WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

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Page 1: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP?Introduction to Psychology

Why do we sleep and dream?

Page 2: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

GOOD NEWS!

“Psychologists have discovered a treatment that strengthens memory, increases concentration, boosts your mood, moderates hunger and obesity, fortifies the disease fighting immune system, and lessens the risk of fatal accidents.”

“Even better, the treatment feels good, it can be self-administered, the supplies are limitless, and it’s free.”

The answer is simple.

Psychology: A Discovery Experience by Stephen L. Franzoi

Page 3: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Focus Questions

•Why do we need sleep, anyway?

•What happens if we get too little sleep?

Page 4: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

The purpose of sleep…

Sleep serves many purposes. Sleep

1. protects

2. rejuvenates and restores

3. makes memories

4. conserves energy

5. feeds creativity

6. plays a key role in brain development

7. plays a role in growth

8. cleans out the brain

Page 5: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Sleep Protects

• Sleep may be an adaptation that helped organisms survive.

Examples:

Grazing animals – sleep lessex. giraffes 2 hours/day

horses 3-4 hours/day

cats – 14 hours/day

bats/chipmunks – 20 hours/day

Page 6: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Restores & Rejuvenates

Sleep provides an opportunity for the body to repair itself.

-major restorative functions of the body like muscle growth & tissue repair occur mostly at night

Sleep deprivation over period of time leads to decreased functioning of immune system.

Page 7: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Makes memories

Sleep restores and rebuilds our memories of the day’s experiences.

Page 9: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Feeds creativity

Sleep feeds creative thinking.

Boosts our ability to think, learn, & problem solve

Increases our ability to make connections

Page 10: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

May play a role in growth

During sleep, the pituitary gland releases a growth hormone.

As we age, we release less of this hormone & spend less time in deep sleep.

Page 11: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

May play a role in brain development

Sleep plays a critical role in brain development of infants and children.

Spend 13 to 14 hours/day (morethan ½ in REM)

Brain plasticity (changes in the structure & organization of the brain) is connected to sleep.

in adults – link between sleepdeprivation & ability to learn/perform tasks

Page 12: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

What happens if we don’t get enough sleep?

1. Academic Functioning DecreasesDifficulty studying, reduced productivityLower alertness & concentrationImpairs judgment; more difficult to make decisionsImpairs memory

2. Weight Gain sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (hunger arousing hormone) &

decreases leptin (hunger suppressing hormone) sleep deprivation increases cortisol (stress hormone) – stimulates body

to produce fatChildren & adults who sleep less are fatter than those who sleep more

Page 13: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

3. Immune System Functioning Sleep deprivation suppresses immune cells that fight off infections &

cancerPeople who sleep 7-8 hours/night outlive sleep deprived people

4. Decreased Reaction TimeBiggest dangerDriving/Work that requires fast responses

20% of all crashes (1 million) due to driver fatigue (NHTSA)1/3 of all Americans report nodding off while driving

Page 15: WHY DO WE NEED SLEEP? Introduction to Psychology Why do we sleep and dream?

Why do we need sleep?• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwNMvUXTgDY