Hi Huong!  Here are notes from 2 of our sessions on sleep!  I think all of this information has been very informative! E

RPM - SLEEP

Sleep is a natural part of our lives.  We spend about one third of our total lives asleep!  Some things about sleep remain a mystery, but we do know that sleep is important for motor and cognitive function. Humans sleep 3 hours less than other primates, who sleep an average of 10 hours a day. A primate is any mammal in the category of humans, apes and monkeys. The record for longest period of time without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes.  This record was set during a rocking chair marathon!

§  What are we talking about today? SLEEP

§  About how much of our total lives do we spend in asleep? ONE THIRD

§  Sleep is important for ________ and ________ function. MOTOR AND COGNITIVE

§  If adults sleep 3 hours less than other primates, who sleep an average of 10 hours per day – how many hours does an average adult sleep per night?  7 HOURS

§  Name a primate that sleeps an average of 10 hours a day. APE

§  During what activity was the record for longest period of time without sleep set? ROCKING CHAIR MARATHON

Some people believe that the body and brain use sleep to shut down and rest. While there may be some decrease metabolism, there is no evidence that any part of the body actually shuts down. Metabolism determines how much food we need and the rate at which our body burns calories or fat. Brain activity, including delta waves, actually increase during sleep. Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, is the stage of sleep characterized by the rapid and random movement of the eyes.  Considered the deepest stage of sleep, REM is physiologically different than the other phases of sleep. Adults spend about 25% of their time in REM sleep.  During REM sleep interesting things happen – like your eyes lose their fixation point , meaning they do not point in the same direction!

§  What bodily function slows down during sleep? METABOLISM

§  What does metabolism do? BURN CALORIES

§  What bodily function increases during sleep? BRAIN ACTIVITY

§  What does REM stand for? RAPID EYE MOVEMENT

§  How much time do adults spend in REM sleep? 25 PERCENT

§  If you sleep 8 hours, how much time does an adult spend in REM? 2 HOURS

§  What happens to our eyes in REM sleep? THEY LOSE FOCUS

Newborn children often sleep an average of 16 to 18 hours per day. By the time a child is five years old, total sleep time averages 10 to 12 hours per day.  Teenagers often need roughly 9 hours of sleep to remain alert and ready to learn each day. Sleep often settles into 7 to 8 hours per day by the time a person reaches adulthood. The ability to sleep for longer periods of time and get into deep, restful stages of sleep tend to decrease with age.  We are often disturbed more by light, noise or pain than when we were younger.

§  On average, how many hours do newborn children sleep? 18

§  How many hours of sleep do teenagers need to remain alert and ready to learn? 9

§  How many hours do adults generally sleep? 7

§  What makes it harder for adults to stay in longer periods of deep, restful sleep as they get older? BECOME SENSITIVE TO DISTURBANCES

Sleep habits, postures and habitats vary in interesting ways! While sleeping, both ducks and dolphins keep half their brain awake to guard against predators. Giraffe need only two hours of sleep. You can observe a wide variety of sleep postures among animals including curled up (cats, dogs), standing, (horses, birds), hanging upside down (bats), straddling a tree branch (leopards) and lying down (humans). Elephants stand during non-REM sleep, but lay down as they fall into REM sleep.  Bats sleep, hanging upside down, for 80% of their lives! We can also see sleep in different habitats from open spaces (lions) and burrows (rabbits) to underwater (hippopotami) and the comfort of their own beds (humans).

§  Name an animal that keeps half of their brain awake to guard against predators as they sleep. DOLFINS (prompt) DOLPHINS

§  How many hours of sleep does a giraffe need? 2

§  Can you  name an animal that sleeps standing up? HORSES

§  Where does a species sleep? SLEEP HABITAT

§  Where is your sleep habitat? MY BEDROOM

§  Bats sleep, hanging upside down for ______% of their lives! 80 PERCENT

§  Assuming a bat lives 10 years, how many years of sleep do they get? 8 YEARS

§  Name an animal that sleeps in a burrow. RABBIT

It is not normal to feel sleepy when you are supposed to be awake.  Sleepiness may be associated with difficulty concentrating, loss of energy, fatigue, lethargy and emotional stability.  Good sleep is also known as having achieved rest or a feeling “restfulness.”  Mirriam-Websters dictionary defines restfulness as a state of freedom from storm or disturbance. Poor sleep is associated with a feeling of “restlessness” defined as an inability to remain at rest, or experiencing an unquiet or uneasy mind.

§  Name one issue associated with feeling sleepy. POOR CONCENTRATION

§  Do you agree that achieving restfulness is well defined as a freedom from storm or disturbance? I THINK IT IS A GOOD DESCRIPTION BECAUSE IT HELPS TELL WHAT A GOOD REST FEELS LIKE.

CREATIVE WRITING: Reflect on this lesson, and consider: 

§  What characterizes GOOD REST for you.  Think about your sleep habits, posture and habitat.  How do you feel when you wake from good rest? 

§  What characterizes POOR REST for you? Describe any feelings of restlessness as you try to sleep. What kind of affects of sleepiness do you experience? 

A GOOD SLEEP OCCURS RARELY FOR ME. I HAVE TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP MOST NIGHTS. IT IS HARD FOR ME TO TURN OFF MY BRAIN. THEN WHEN I DO, I HAVE TROUBLE PUTTING MY BODY TO SLEEP. SO I DON’T SLEEP MOST NIGHTS. AS A RESULT, I AM TIRED MOST OFTEN. THEN I HAVE TROUBLE FOCUSING. THEN I SPACE OUT IN SCHOOL. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW FRUSTRATING THIS IS. TO BE TIRED ALL THE TIME IS THE PITS!

5/13/14

Tell me two things we learned about sleep last session. SLEEP MAKES YOU RESTED. TIME THE SYSTEM REENERGIZES

 What’s going on in Brain when you are trying to sleep? THE PROBLEM IS THAT I CAN NOT STOP THINKING WHEN IT IS TIME TO SLEEP.

What are you thinking about? I AM THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING IN MY DAY, IDEAS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

What goes on in your body when you try to sleep? MY BODY GETS RESTLESS AND I CANNOT GET COMFORTABLE.

Any ideas that might help you sleep? I DON’T HAVE ANY IDEAS THAT COULD HELP.

Any changes to your sleep habitat that could help? IT MIGHT HELP IF IT WERE DARKER AND COLDER.

Do you still want the night light? NO NIGHTLIGHT PLEASE.

Door open or closed? DOOR CLOSED

Are you afraid of the dark? NO, I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK

Is the light in morning a problem? NO

How about a fan to cool the room? I WOULD LIKE THAT

How about a noise machine or music? I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP

What do you think about scientifically trying one thing and charting results? GOOD IDEA TO TRY TO STUDY THIS.

I explained how I read to fall asleep. What about audible books? THAT MIGHT WORK. I WOULD TRY ANYTHING

How many hours per night do you think you sleep? 4 OR 5 A NIGHT

Do you remember how many a teen should have? 9

How about on days when you do whole body exercise? WHEN I EXERCISE I SLEEP BETER THAN WHEN I DON’T EXERCISE.

What do you think about guided meditation? THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING.

I understand you go into your parents room in the morning.  Can you tell me about that? I JUST LIKE TO START THE MORNING SNUGGLING WITH MY PARENTS.

Would you like it if your brother made you a playlist? SO VERY MUCH

What kind of music do you like? I LIKE ALL MUSIC

What kind of music to fall to sleep? SOMETHING SOOTHING WITHOUT WORDS LIKE CLASSICAL.

Would you like some music for when you are awake just to listen to? I WOULD LOVE A PLAYLIST.