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It is a fact that, within psychology and medicine, one of the areas of study that presents the most mysteries and attraction is that related to sleep and dreams. The fact of sleeping and dreaming is useful and essential, and there are a multitude of theories that try to explain this topic, but there are still no precise and definitive answers about the great purpose of sleeping, the fundamental reason for dreams or what would happen if we didn’t have them.
The Effects of Sleep on Daily Well-Being
Lack of sleep has serious negative repercussions for our body and mind. Without going any further, the most used method of torture in antiquity was sleep deprivation, which was shown to cause hallucinations, delusions and important mental alterations.
However, the ultimate purpose of sleeping has yet to be discovered. Perhaps the best approximation is that which refers to sleeping as the factor that allows us to settle the memories and learning of each day. What is not yet clear is how this effect is produced or through what mechanism.
The dream activity is decisive for our well-being, although we do not know what is the key factor in this whole process full of mysteries and uncertainties.
What is certain is that if we don’t dream, we don’t get such effective relief and rest, regardless of whether we remember the dream’s content or not.
The fundamental contribution of scientific research
At the University of Berkeley (USA), a scientific study revealed new data on the positive effects related to sleep reconciliation. A total of 35 volunteers, divided into two groups, were exposed to 150 images of impacting emotional content.
Next, one of the groups was given the task of sleeping, while the people in the other group had to stay awake for 12 hours.
Once that time had elapsed, all the same people saw these images again while recording their activity in the cerebral amygdala (the region of the brain in charge of processing emotions) through MRI.
As scientists expected, the group that had slept had a significant reduction in brain amygdala activity, which caused a drop in emotional levels in people, who were able to see the images again with a lower level of anxiety. During the REM sleep phase of this group of people, the effect was of great significance, as activity levels decreased considerably.
Apparently, this means that the REM phase has the role of a “therapist”, as it helps to minimize the memories and anxiety of the day before, through a chemical activity that softens the emotional strength.
So you already know , when you feel overwhelmed by your worries and sadness, pay special attention to the quality of your sleep and the amount of hours you rest. We often do just the opposite; it means to say that we add to negative inner states the unhealthy habit of sleeping less than necessary.
This only makes the situation worse.
Sleeping well and dreaming will not solve all your problems “in the blink of an eye”, but it will undoubtedly help you to feel less anxious and to face each new day and its challenges with a new spirit.
Image courtesy of Taylor Dawn Fortune
