In your Dreams – the science of why, how and when we dream

In your Dreams – the science of why, how and when we dream

Dreams, we all have them, some we remember, some we don’t! There are those who want to analyse every detail of their dreams, seeing them as portents to future events or windows into our souls. Some dismiss dreams as a nothing more than random images as a byproduct of brain activity.

Regardless of what camp of dream analysis you belong to, you may like to know a bit more about the why, how and when of dreams, to fill in the blanks and give a better understanding of what happens when we close our eyes at night.

dreams-header

 

Are there different types of dreams?

Dreams are a series of images, emotions, senses or events that we experience while we sleep. They are created in the brain, during different brain impulses and can last from a few seconds, to more than half an hour. There are a number of different types of dreams, the classifications vary depending on who you talk to, but in general we experience regular dreams, lucid dreams and nightmares.

The three basic types of dreams are…

  • Regular dreams usually occur when we are in a deep sleep phase, such as the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep.
  • Lucid dreams usually occur when we are in a lighter stage of sleep. We are at least partially aware that we are dreaming and we can consciously change the course of the dream if we so choose.
  • We are all familiar with nightmares and they are not just for children. They are dreams that evoke strong emotions and reactions within us, usually fear, terror, anger or anxiety.

What happens when we dream?

In order to talk about dreaming we must first look at what happens when we sleep and the different stages involved. There are five stages of sleep, stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage.

We pass from each stage of sleep sequentially, usually falling into a deeper sleep with each stage. Once we have completed a full cycle (stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and REM) we return to the first stage and the cycle repeats. A full cycle takes between 90 and 110 minutes.

Stage 1

This is a very light stage of sleep, our bodies relax, our muscle activity slows and we experience slow eye movement.

Stage 2

Our eye movements stop, our muscle movements reduce and our brain waves slow down; Our heart rates slow and our body temeratures drop a little. We also experience burst of rapid brain wave activity in this stage, these are called brain spindles. Adults spend about 50% of their sleep time in this stage, this reduces with age.

Stage 3

We enter deep sleep, with some periods of very slow brain waves recorded.

Stage 4

The periods of very slow brain waves extend.

REM Stage

Our eye movement becomes erratic and jerky, our heart rates rise, breathing becomes more rapid and our limbs become temporarily paralysed. We spend about 20-25% of our sleep time in this stage (infants can spend up to 50% of sleep in the REM stage).

The REM stage of the first cycle of sleep is fairly short (about ten minutes) but increases in duration with each cycle (up to an hour in the final cycle).

Stages 1 to 4 of sleep are collectively referred to as the non-REM stages (NREM).

We dream at all stages of sleep but most of our dreams are thought to occur during the REM stage. Studies show that we tend to have different types of dreams at different stages of sleep; In the early stages, we have very short dreams but they are more realistic and relatable. As we move into deeper sleep our dreams tend to become more fragmented. As the night progresses and we experience longer REM states our dreams become more obscure and disjointed.

dream-quote

 

Why do we dream?

There are a number of theories as to why we dream, but scientists are still not sure. Some say that dreaming is an asinine activity that serves no purpose, but most agree that this is not the case, although they may argue as to the true value of dreams.

Dreaming has no purpose at all

In 1977 psychiatrists J. Allan Hobson and R.W. McCarley theorised that dreams don’t actually mean anything at all. They called their theory the ‘activation-synthesis hypothesis’ and stated that dreams are merely electrical brain impulses that pull random thoughts and imagery from our memories.

Dreaming is an ancient biological defence mechanism

Evolutionary biologists studying dreams and their function have proposed the Threat Simulating Theory (TST) of dreaming.

The threat simulation theory of dreaming states that dream consciousness is essentially an ancient biological defence mechanism, evolutionary selected for its capacity to repeatedly simulate threatening events.

Basically, dreams are seen as a simulation, a way to prepare our bodies and hone our skills for the right response in potentially threatening situations. By experiences threats and events in our mind (like being chased by a wild animal!) we can train our bodies to respond correctly if or when the threat really does appear in real life. We can develop our neuro-cognitive mechanisms.

The TST also suggests that people under threat in their everyday lives will dream more, as a way to exercise and prepare for the dangers they may experience each day. There is some evidence to suggest this is the case.

Scientists in favour of this theory also quote the fact that a convincing 70% of our dreams are made up of such threatening scenarios.

Dreams help us solve problems

It is possible that dreams help us unravel and review all the complexities we have experienced during our waking hours. Without the restrains of our conscious, logical thinking we can view things from a completely different angle. Some people can wake after a night of sleep with their eureka moment, solving a niggling problem, literally while they catch some z’s. Perhaps the most famous case is that of the chemist August Kekule, who supposedly discovered the benzene ring structure after dreaming of atoms linking together in a chain and then twisting, like a snake biting his own tail, into a ring structure.

The famous American writer, John Steinbeck called this the ‘committee of sleep‘…

It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it

How does all this free thinking work? Daytime events and often recorded in fragmented forms in different regions of the brain. The ‘memory’ is held together by interaction of those brain parts with the hippocampus. During certain stages of sleep these connections are lost, but brain activity in each of these regions may continue. This ‘untethered’ brain activity can provide the freedom of thought and creativity that is constrained in the waking hours.

We dream to fulfil our desires

This brings us back to Freud who believed that our dreams were a manifestation of our basic, unconscious desires and urges. He believed that to better understand our own psychological makeup, and issues, we needed to record and analyse the content of our dreams.

We dream to help us process our emotions

Do we dream to help us process emotional events in a safe way? When we sleep the levels of certain stress hormones  in our bodies are reduced, therefore we can reflect on a stressful situation or event, in a safe place, where the stress response has been toned down.

Studies have observed high activity in the amygdala during the REM stage of sleep. This is the area of the brain associated with emotions. This suggests that, while sleeping, our brains access emotional events and memories while the stress neurochemicals (norepinephrine) are suppressed, allowing us to process and resolve any emotions or traumas. We wake feeling better about an event that may have caused us stress the day before.

Dreaming is an important part of our memory storing process

The process of dreaming may help us strengthen, connect and store memories. In order to full consolidate our memories we need to strengthen links between different areas of the brain that have recorded information from the memory, and to integrate the information with previously stored knowledge.

The most basic function of dreaming consists of connecting new material with old material in memory systems; reorganising the memory systems, guided by emotion. (Hartmann, 2011).

Sleep creates an optimal  environment to allow memory links to be repeatedly activated without the interference of external stimuli. This reactivation strengthens the neurological pathways that link the various parts of the memory as well as creating links with older memories and learning.

MRI studies have shown that brain areas associated with short and long term memory consolidation (hippocampus and amygdala) are activated while we dream.

Different types of memories may be consolidated at different stages of sleep; the episodic memories are best processed during NREM stages, while more sensory, procedural and emotional events are likely integrated during REM stages.

 

How long do dreams last?

Dream length varies, but on average our dreams start off short and get longer as the night progresses. Although some dreams may only last for seconds, our first dream of the night is usually about five minute long, our last dream can be as long as 45 minutes. As most of our dreaming occurring during the REM stage of sleep, as this stage gets longer, so too do our dreams.

Most people have at least two to three dreams per night, with the average being six to seven. We spend about two hours a night dreaming, which can add up to a whopping six years of dreaming in a lifetime!

 

These theories and insights are fascinating but there is still much to learn. Scientists will continue to research, study and debate the importance of the dreaming process, but, looking at how much of our lives we spend dreaming it is certainly a worthwhile study. 

 

dream-facts

 

 

All things Lavender

All things Lavender

I spent a lovely evening down at my local school yesterday.  As part of a community initiative we had a series of workshops given by local parents – it was my turn last night.

I decided to do my workshop on lavender, my most favourite plant and the pride and joy of my garden (and by garden I am referring to the overgrown wilderness that currently exists around my house).

My Lavender Garden
My Lavender Garden

Why do I like lavender so much?  Apart from the beautiful colour, delicate flower and amazing aroma I like it because there are so many things you can DO with it!I admit I only tend to be drawn to plants that have a function or use to me! That is probably why I like my herbs so much (they appeal to the green witch within).

Lavender fulfills the criteria for functional plant in more ways that I can count!  Culinary, cosmetic, medicinal and ornamental… it has it all.  I thought I would share some of the recipes and uses I have come across for lavender and look into a little bit of the science behind the plant.

A look at the plant

 

Lavender (Lavandula) is a genus comprising almost 40 different species of plant.  It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. The name Lavender comes from the Latin word lavare meaning to wash, a reference to the fondness of the Romans for use of the herb in their baths.  The plant appears often in historical reference, being used in ancient Egypt as part of the embalming process.

The lavender plant is a shrub like plant that is native to the Mediterranean and many parts of Africa and Asia.  The size of the plant varies between species but is typically between 30 to 90 cm.  The common colour of the flowers are the classic “lavender” colour but the range can vary from white to pink to blues to purples. The plant is grown commercially to harvest it’s flowers.  It is the small hairs or spikes on the plant, located between the petals and the stem that produce the oil that give the lavender its lovely scent.  This oil is distilled to produce lavender essential oil.

Lavender essential oil is used in perfumes, cosmetics, clinical applications and aromatherapy.  Different plants are favoured for different scents or different active components.  The most common essential oil is extracted from Common or English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)  but other species such as lavender stoechas  (Lavandula stoechas), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia)are also used.

Although each different lavender essential oil shares a common chemical composition they differ in the dominant chemicals found in each and thereby differ in their clinical applications.

 

Clinical applications of Lavender

 

Anti stress, anxiety reduction, sleep aid

 

photo credit: Lotus Carroll via photopin cc
photo credit: Lotus Carroll via photopin cc

Lavender has been used for years as a calming agent and a means to reduce stress and anxiety and enhance restfull sleep.  As well as using essential oils for these remedies, the dried flowers, tincture and teas may also be used.

Studies have shown that lavender does have a mild sedative effect and both men and women exposed to lavender essential oils at night time showed an increase in deep or slow wave sleep (SWS) resulting in more enegry the following morning.  They also showed an increase in light sleep (stage 2) and a decrease in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.

Lavender aromatherapy treatment has also been shown to result in a measurable decrease in stress levels, and is associated with a decrease in anxiety and stress related headaches.

Antibacterial, antifungal and anti inflammatory

 

Lavender oil was commonly used in hospitals in recent history because of its associated antibacterial properties.  It was also used in the treatment of cuts, wounds and burns.  There are plenty of studies confirming the antibacterial properties of lavender, particularly lavender essential oils.

Lavender oils have also shown a significant effect on decreasing the growth of a number of fungi associated with common skin and nail infections.  It has also possible applications in the treatment of sinusitis.  The antifungal and antibacterial properties of lavender have made it useful in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and acne.

Studies confirming the anti inflammatory nature of lavender reinforce its associate with healing allergies,  rhinitis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, burns and general swellings.

Side effects or areas of caution

 

Some people have reported an adverse effect when using products containing lavender, most notably skin reaction and irritation when lavender essential oil is rubbed directly into the skin.
Exposure to lavender in strong concentrations has also been linked in some people to side-effects including headaches, nausea and irritability.
A study published in 2007 suggested a strong link between prepubertal gynecomastia (benign male breast development) and the use of products containing lavender and tea tree oils.
It is usually recommended that pregnant and breast feeding women avoid the use of lavender oil due to a lack of evidence supporting it’s safety at these stages.

 

Cosmetic applications of Lavender

 

Lavender is used in a variety of cosmetics such as soaps, bath products, cleansers, toners, hair products, moisturisers and creams.  It is added to these products for a variety of reasons… for its scent, antiseptic and antibiotic properties, to relax and soothe and to ease swelling and inflammatory pain.

 

How to harvest and dry Lavender

 

The ideal time to harvest your lavender is when the flowers have their true colour and are just beginning to open.  Cut at least 10 to 15 cm below the flower.  Gather the cut lavender together in small bunches and secure with an elastic band or equivalent.  Hang the bunches upside down in a dry, well aired space (away from direct sunlight) for two to three weeks, until the flowers are completely dry.
Once the flowers are dry they may be used in a variety of ways.  If you want to remove the dried flowers from the stem hold thestem over a large bowl and gently rub the flowers with your fingers and the flowers should fall off easily.  This is a great activity to do while watching tv or chatting as it is time consuming to harvest the flowers from a large bunch of dired lavender (but a very pleasant task).

 

Make your own Lavender bath bombs

 

The original recipe is from James Wong’s book “Grow your own Drugs” . I have made some minor modifications;
  • Lavender bath bomb
    Lavender bath bomb

    1 – 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers

  • 1 tablespoon citric acid
  • 3 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda (bread soda)
  • 5 drops lavender essential oil
  • 2 teaspoons sunflower oil (or other vegetable oil)

Combine all the ingredients together in a dry bowl.  Add more or less sunflower oil as required, you want to get a consistency of damp sand.  Rub the inside of a cookie cutter with some sunflower oil and place it on some grease proof paper.  Pack the bath bomb mixture into the cookie cutter, pressing down firmly to ensure it is tightly packed.  Leave in a dry place overnight to allow the sunflower oil to evaporate off and the bath bomb to dry hard. Gentle push the dried bath bomb out of the cookie cutter, wrap in cling film or tinfoil
and store in a dry place.

When you are ready to use your bath bomb just pop it into your bath and watch it fizz away releasing the little lavender flowers and the lovely scent of lavender.  The fizzing is due to the reaction between the citric acid (acid) and the bread soda (base/alkaline) once water is added, producing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.

Make your own Lavender oil

 

To make your own lavender oil fill a clean, dry, seal able container with dried lavender flowers and then cover with sunflower oil (or another vegetable oil).  Seal the container and place in a dry place for at least two weeks, shaking once or twice a day.  The length of tine you leave it determines the strength of the smell of lavender in the resulting oil.After two weeks strain the oil through muslin or a fine sieve into a clean dry container or bottle and seal.  This oil can be applied directly to the skin or added to bath water.

 

Some Culinary uses of Lavender

 

Apart from the medicinal, cosmetic and ornamental applications of lavender, it is also great as a flavour in our foods.  The flowers are often added to sugar to give it that delicate lavender taste.  The preference in our house when it comes to combining lavender and sugar is to make lavender syrup….

Lavender syrup

 

  • 250 ml water
  • 3 tablespoons of dried lavender flowers (or fresh flowers)
  • 350 to 400 g sugar

Place the lavender and water into a saucepan and place on a medium, heat to a simmer and leave for five minutes.  Add the sugar and stir continuously until all the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool then transfer to a suitable container, cover and refrigerate for two to three days.

Strain through a fine sieve or muslin into a sterilized container, seal and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

It never lasts more than a few days in our house though as the kids just love it poured over a warm fresh batch of drop scones.

Lavender syrup and drop scones, the perfect combination
Lavender syrup and drop scones, the perfect combination

On the subject of refreshments I thought I would share two recipes… one for the children and one for the adults.Lavender syrup can be used much like honey or maple syrup, as well as on pancakes it is great over ice cream or used to sweeten drinks and cocktails.

Children first, while hit by complete lavender fever we decided the ideal drink for the kids would be an adaptation of my mother in laws wonderful lemonade recipe…

Lavender Lemonade

 

  • 1 pint of water
  • 8 oz of sugar ( approx. 200g )
  • zest from three lemons
  • 3 tablespoons of dried lavender flowers

Add water, lemon zest and lavender to small pot and place over medium heat; allow to simmer for five minutes then add the sugar and still until dissolved.

Remove from the heat and add …

  • the juice of three lemons

Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then strain through a sieve.  Serve chilled and dilute to taste (about one part lemonade to two parts water).

The lavender gave the lemonade a lovely subtle flavour and turned it pink
The lavender gave the lemonade a lovely subtle flavour and turned it pink

Lavender cocktail

 

There are a number of cocktails that work well with lavender, vodka, martini and gin seem to be the alcohol base among the most common.  I decided to seek expert advice and so I asked fellow Galwegian and Sunday Times Food Columist Mona Wise (@WiseMona) for her suggestion.  Mona recommended adapting a French 75, substituting the sugar or syrup for lavender syrup.  As this cocktail is made with Gin and Prosecco I did not need any persuading to try it out.
photo credit: Dinner Series via photopin cc
photo credit: Dinner Series via photopin cc

Here is a recipe …

  • 2 parts gin
  • 1 part lavender syrup
  • 1 part fresh lemon juice
  • Prosecco (or sparkling tonic if preferred)
Combine the gin, lavender syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well and then strain.  Add to glass and then top up with prosecco.

Garnish with a sprig of lavender.

I am really looking forward to experimenting with this recipe again this weekend, I have a group of close friends coming over tomorrow night and I think this will make an impressive aperitif!

Lavender Tea

 

For those looking for a non-alcoholic lavender drink I can highly recommend lavender tea.  I usually use one teaspoon of dried lavender to one cup of boiled water and allow to sit for five minutes.  I can vouch for its effect for inducing a really good nights sleep.

There is a great blog about Lavender Tea and how to grow lavender from seeds over at Greenside Up.  They also sell a beautiful “Time for Tea” seed collection;

I have never grown lavender from seed before but I think that will change now – I am keen to try out all the seeds in the collection. It is on my “Lavender List” for this year.  I also want to make lavender soap and some other lavender cosmetics, as well as try my hand at making lavender wands and lavender icecream but I think that will be a blog for another day!

 

Cautionary Note:

I do not use any chemicals on, or near my Lavender; the suggested uses and recipes given within this blog are recommended for chemical-free lavender, it is a good idea to either use your own home grown lavender that you know if “free-from” or buy  from an organic and/or reputable source.

I was going to include the attractiveness of lavender to certain insects, particularly bees.  I think that would make a whole blog within itself so I have left that for another day.  However, as pointed out to me by @unusual_plants, we need to be very aware of any products we use with our home grown lavender, in the interest of our little buzzing buddies.  This includes checking the content of the compost you may choose to plant your lavender in as they may still contain such bee threatening compounds as neonicotinoids!

If you enjoyed this blog, tried some of the suggestions or have any questions please leave me a message in the comments below!

A good night’s sleep!

A good night’s sleep!

I awoke this morning to find NO CHILDREN at all in my bed.  A very rare event indeed.  I can’t remember the last time that happened but I am certainly not complaining.  It was lovely to have a full night’s sleep with no interruptions for a change.  I was perfectly happy to have little Rohan crawl into bed beside me at the reasonable hour of 7 am for a cuddle.  Turns out it wasn’t Rohan but a “baby Dolphin” and I was the “Mammy Dolphin” and the bed was actually the sea.  It did not take long for Rohan’s clever little mind to start to wonder….

……………………. “HOW DO DOLPHINS SLEEP IN THE SEA, MAMMY?”

 

photo credit: Leo Reynolds via photopin cc
photo credit: Leo Reynolds via photopin cc

SO, HOW DO DOLPHINS SLEEP?

Dolphins (and whales) are mammals just like us, they need to breathe in air.  Unlike us, dolphins have adapted their bodies breathing system (respiratory system) to be able to go long periods between breaths.  This allows them to stay under water for up to 30 minutes at a time before they need to surface and take the next breath.  The other difference between dolphins and other land mammals is that we breathe involuntarily (without thinking about it) while they make a conscious decision to take a breath.

 

 

HOW CAN DOLPHINS SLEEP IF THEY NEED TO STAY CONSCIOUS TO BREATHE?

Dolphins have overcome the problem of having to stay conscious to breath by only shutting down one half of their brains at a time while sleeping.  This process is called unihemispheric sleep and basically means that one half of the brain sleeps while the other half stays awake and alert.  Interestingly, one eye stays open while the dolphin sleeps, it is the eye on the opposite side to the sleeping brain.  This allows the dolphin to stay alert to its environment at all times, a requirement necessary for its survival.

Scientist determined unihemispheric sleep in dolphins by monitoring brain activity in captive dolphins using a process called electroencephalography.  This process involves attaching electrodes to the dolphins head and tracking brain wave activity as electrical pulses. Such research suggests that dolphins are in this sleep state for approximately eight hours a day.

Studies into the unihemispheric sleep patterns of some mammals suggest hopeful correlations and potential solutions to human sleep disorders such as narcolepsy.

WHERE DO DOLPHINS SLEEP?

There is no real reason why dolphins can’t sleep anywhere within the ocean, but, given that they need to surface fairly frequently to breathe, it is most likely that they sleep just below the surface.

DO ANY OTHER ANIMALS SLEEP LIKE THIS?

Mammals, other than dolphins, that use unihemispheric sleep include whales, porpoises, manatees, sea lions and seals.

This types of sleeping has been observed in some birds and is suggested as a probable form of “sleeping on the wing” for migrating birds.