BETA
Chapter 1
The nightly cycle of the brain
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Answer
Chapter 2
Why do we dream
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Chapter 3
Taking control of the dream
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Chapter 4
Dreams across history and culture
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YOUR GOAL
Master of The science of dreaming
Ch 2 · Why do we dream
misslily Match brainwaves to sleep stages to discover how your brain processes memories and creates dreams.
misslily Sleep researcher Matthew Walker describes dreaming as overnight therapy that strips painful emotions from your memories.
misslily The threat simulation theory suggests dreams are virtual reality training grounds for surviving real-world threats.
Fun Fact
Memory consolidation: Sleeping on a problem actually works, as dreaming helps the brain find creative connections between unrelated pieces of information.
Glossary
dream (noun)
A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep. In 1977, Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed that these nightly visions stem from random brainstem activity.
A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep. In 1977, Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed that these nightly visions stem from random brainstem activity.
Quiz
Which hypothesis suggests dreaming helps prune weak brain connections to save energy?
Quiz
What percentage improvement in memory tasks can a night of dreaming sleep provide?
Quiz
What toxic protein linked to Alzheimer's disease is washed away during deep sleep?
Quiz
Which theory suggests that dreams are a virtual reality training ground for dangerous situations?
Quiz
According to researcher Matthew Walker, which stress chemical drops to zero during REM sleep?
Quiz
What is the name of the brain's waste-clearing system that activates during deep sleep?