Research Department

[Kromoh]

Physiology of Sleep mostly from http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/~bwhit...LEEP/index.htm, a few details from wikipedia (Dream, Sleep, REM Sleep) Spoiler for Physiology of Sleep: Nature of Dreams and Sleep + Sleep and dreams are part of the biological rhythm - the body's "natural clock" + Humans have a natural 24-hour cycle - people deprived of access to light followed an activity/rest cycle of about 24.5 hours according to a study (Nathaniel Kleitman) + Sunrise is known to affect one’s biological rhythm + Mammals might have been naturally selected to have an exact daily rhythm - primitive mammals sleep during the day, when it was dangerous, and woke during the night. + Sleep is consisted of progressive stages, each having a function + Nathaniel Kleitman and Arsenky discovered REM sleep in 1953 - dreams have been found to be intrinsically related to REM sleep Sleep Disorders + Narcolepsy (high levels of REM) - excessive sleepiness during the day - abrupt loss of muscle tone, without loss of awareness - sleep atonia - hypnagogic hallucination + Hypersomnia (high levels of NREM) + Parasomnia - night terrors - sleepwalking and sleeptalking + Insomnia Purpose of Sleep the multiple theories concerning sleep reveal that little is actually understood about the phenomenon + REM sleep is present majorly in mammals + Excessive sleep deprivation kills rats + Humans under prolonged sleep deprivation have trouble doing basic activites + Sleep used for neurological restoration - restoring neurotransmitters and restoring sensitivity to neuroreceptors + Sleep used for memorization and learning - humans subject to sleep deprivation have problems with memorizing and recalling memories; humans put to sleep immediately after learning something new memorized the subject much better + Sleep used for body restoration - continuous activation of the muscles may injure them just like overexertion would + Children and babies require a lot of sleep to function properly (up to 18 daily hours, 8 of them being REM sleep) + As humans grow older, they require progressively less sleep, and amount of REM sleep also decreases + It has been pointed out that, if sleep were not essential, one should be able to find 1) animal species that do not sleep at all, 2) animals that do not need recovery sleep when they stay awake longer than usual, and 3) animals that suffer no serious consequences as a result of lack of sleep. No animals have been found to date that satisfy any of these criteria + Wound healing, the immune system, are known to be affected by sleep Purpose of Dreaming + One theory proposes that dreams are the random activation of some neurons in the brain during REM sleep, and that the forebrain then creates a story to situate and rationalize the nonsensical sensory information + Dreams have also been found to be related to memorization and learning. Individuals have reported dreaming about newly-learned subjects or activities in the first night + Sigmund Freud hypothesized that dreams are the manifestations of subconscious thoughts and experiences, and suggested that dream interpretation could be a way of analysing the subconscious mind + Eugen Tarnow suggests that dreams are excitations of the long-term memory + A 2001 study showed evidence that illogical locations, characters, and dream flow may help the brain strengthen the linking and consolidation of semantic memories + During the night there may be many external stimuli bombarding the senses, but the mind interprets the stimulus and makes it a part of a dream in order to ensure continued sleep. The mind will, however, awaken an individual if they are in danger or if trained to respond to certain sounds, such as a baby crying + Dream experiences are known to affect mood + Sleep may be a means of the brain to simulate and predict scenarios (just like listening to music), which could be an evolutionary advantage + Dreams can link to actual sensations, such as the incorporation of environmental sounds into dreams such as hearing a phone ringing in a dream while it is ringing in reality, or dreaming of urination while wetting the bed I might update this later if I find anything more.

[Banana]

well i wrote up a thing on omega 3 and updated the repository(a lil bit) awhile ago Spoiler for long: Omega 3 (1)Omega-3 fatty acids are a family of unsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon–carbon double bond in the n−3 position; that is, the third bond from the methyl end of the fatty acid.(/1) Effects on Dreaming : Omega 3 has been reported by many DV members to greatly increase clarty, vividness, and awareness in dreams Take with: Time to take it: Before bed or WBTB Sources of Omega 3: Fish Fish oil pills Flax Nuts (1)Other side effects: Some benefits have been reported in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cardiac arrhythmias.(/1) (2)Interactions: In theory, omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Some examples include aspirin; anticoagulants ("blood thinners"), such as warfarin (Coumadin®) or heparin; anti-platelet drugs, such as clopidogrel (Plavix®); and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or naproxen (Naprosyn®, Aleve®).(/2) cites: 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid 2 http://www.enotalone.com/article/9364.html i think thats it

[Kromoh]

I'll be speedreading through ETWOLD, I'll post whatever I find of relevance.

[Kromoh]

Introductory ideas ideas taken from reading ETWOLD's first two chapters - mostly for brainstorming personal notes in blue Spoiler for long: Lucid dreaming + lucid dreaming has been known for centuries, but is very badly understood + lucid dreaming is an unusual state of consciousness + awareness is a function of the brain; it gathers information from the senses and builds a general picture of what is around. How does dream awareness differ from waking awareness? (Kromoh intends to write an appendix for this) + the difference between passive sleep (NREM) and active sleep (REM) + dreaming is easily observable in small children and puppies, when they start twitching as if trying to move the body, or when the dog growls or barks silently + is LDing real? Is it scientifically observable? It's the question LaBerge had to face. He needed some sort of evidence that lucid dreams really occurred - reports or stories didn't serve for various reasons + LaBerge knew of many intriguing report of people reporting have looked in specific directions in their dreams and their REM behaving accordingly + he tried moving his eyes in a specific manner in a lucid dream, having his eye movements monitored through his sleep. He was able to locate the specific signal (left-right-left-right) in the middle of a REM period. He then realised it was a way lucid dreamers could signal researchers from inside their dreams, and used it for scientific research + dreamed action affects the sleeping body (excitement in a dream produces physiological excitement, for example), external sensorial experiences affect the dream (sounds or songs can be incorporated into the dream content, for example) => leads us to conclude that the real world and the dream world aren't so distant + dreamed experiences are as real to the brain as waking-life ones Dream Recall + dream recall is a fundamental skill for having and exploring lucid dreams - it would be useless if you had one and couldn't remember + dream recall is a practicable skill + for lucid dreaming, it is advised to build a dream recall of at least 1 dream per night + some researches believe that you will not remembers a dream if you don't wake up directly from it (even if for a few seconds) + women statistically have better dream recall and also have lighter sleep, which supports the theory for recalling dreams: + forcing yourself to write your dreams down gives your mind the need to remember them + dreams are easily forgettable as you just wake up - make quick notes at first and avoid disturbances + set an alarm to wake you up around your REM periods if you are a heavy sleeper + motivate yourself to remember your dreams + self-suggestion and self-hypnosis work (Kromoh intends to write a small appendix on self-hypnosis for the book) + building passive memory: the ability to recall things you didn't take time to memorize (what you ate yesterday, in what order you dressed yourself this morning, how was your way to work/school, etc) + the advantages of having a dream journal: better memory in general, knowing your subconscious thoughts better, being able to analyse what troubles you in your dreams; and for lucid dreaming, increase of dream awareness and ability to find indicators of dreams + dream signs: they are indicators that you are dreaming, which your mind usually skips completely (I think examples from people's dream journals could be very well placed for illustrating dream signs) + when awake, we are completely sure we are awake. When dreaming, we are completely sure we are awake - so sure that our mind rarely questions if we could be dreaming! + natural lucid dreamers have the difference of a better awareness of reality, which also applies when they are dreaming + reality testing: a way to tell apart dreams from reality, by doing or finding things which could only happen in a dream + the great epiphany: I am dreaming! + dreams use the same parts of the waking brain to simulate a different reality - dreams can be not only as but much more vivid than waking experience, because they aren't limited by the bodily senses + how we usually miss dream signs due to rationalization (example fits well) Some examples I made about the amount of awareness in a dream: + The streets are different than they should be in reality, but you skip this fact completely and only realize they were different when you recall the dream later on. (you don't notice the dream sign) + The streets are different and you notice it, but nothing else happens. (you notice the dream sign, but nothing else happens) + The streets are different than in reality, you notice it, and get lost because of it. (the dream was influenced by the dream sign, but you don't become lucid) + The streets are different than in reality, you notice it, and ask yourself why on Earth they would be different. You realize they wouldn't, and that you're actually dreaming. (dream sign observed and lucidity achieved) Summary: + dream journalling, finding dream signs, and reality-testing

[ThreeLetterSyndrom]

Introductory ideas ideas taken from reading ETWOLD's first two chapters - mostly for brainstorming personal notes in blue Spoiler for long: Lucid dreaming + lucid dreaming has been known for centuries, but is very badly understood + lucid dreaming is an unusual state of consciousness + awareness is a function of the brain; it gathers information from the senses and builds a general picture of what is around. How does dream awareness differ from waking awareness? (Kromoh intends to write an appendix for this) + the difference between passive sleep (NREM) and active sleep (REM) + dreaming is easily observable in small children and puppies, when they start twitching as if trying to move the body, or when the dog growls or barks silently + is LDing real? Is it scientifically observable? It's the question LaBerge had to face. He needed some sort of evidence that lucid dreams really occurred - reports or stories didn't serve for various reasons + LaBerge knew of many intriguing report of people reporting have looked in specific directions in their dreams and their REM behaving accordingly + he tried moving his eyes in a specific manner in a lucid dream, having his eye movements monitored through his sleep. He was able to locate the specific signal (left-right-left-right) in the middle of a REM period. He then realised it was a way lucid dreamers could signal researchers from inside their dreams, and used it for scientific research + dreamed action affects the sleeping body (excitement in a dream produces physiological excitement, for example), external sensorial experiences affect the dream (sounds or songs can be incorporated into the dream content, for example) => leads us to conclude that the real world and the dream world aren't so distant + dreamed experiences are as real to the brain as waking-life ones Dream Recall + dream recall is a fundamental skill for having and exploring lucid dreams - it would be useless if you had one and couldn't remember + dream recall is a practicable skill + for lucid dreaming, it is advised to build a dream recall of at least 1 dream per night + some researches believe that you will not remembers a dream if you don't wake up directly from it (even if for a few seconds) + women statistically have better dream recall and also have lighter sleep, which supports the theory for recalling dreams: + forcing yourself to write your dreams down gives your mind the need to remember them + dreams are easily forgettable as you just wake up - make quick notes at first and avoid disturbances + set an alarm to wake you up around your REM periods if you are a heavy sleeper + motivate yourself to remember your dreams + self-suggestion and self-hypnosis work (Kromoh intends to write a small appendix on self-hypnosis for the book) + building passive memory: the ability to recall things you didn't take time to memorize (what you ate yesterday, in what order you dressed yourself this morning, how was your way to work/school, etc) + the advantages of having a dream journal: better memory in general, knowing your subconscious thoughts better, being able to analyse what troubles you in your dreams; and for lucid dreaming, increase of dream awareness and ability to find indicators of dreams + dream signs: they are indicators that you are dreaming, which your mind usually skips completely (I think examples from people's dream journals could be very well placed for illustrating dream signs) + when awake, we are completely sure we are awake. When dreaming, we are completely sure we are awake - so sure that our mind rarely questions if we could be dreaming! + natural lucid dreamers have the difference of a better awareness of reality, which also applies when they are dreaming + reality testing: a way to tell apart dreams from reality, by doing or finding things which could only happen in a dream + the great epiphany: I am dreaming! + dreams use the same parts of the waking brain to simulate a different reality - dreams can be not only as but much more vivid than waking experience, because they aren't limited by the bodily senses + how we usually miss dream signs due to rationalization (example fits well) Summary: + dream journalling, finding dream signs, and reality-testing That's some great info right there. Is this all for the introduction? I'll get to it.

[Kromoh]

Those are all the ideas I got from reading ETWOLD. There may be something else out there, I dunno.

[Kromoh]

Hey guys. I'll be on the coast until next sunday. I'm still speed-reading through ETWOLD and will probably post something as soon as I come back. Don't forget to water the dog and feed the plants while I'm out.

[marcc]

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ad.php?t=80074 this is pretty interesting

[Kromoh]

Hey Jeff, thanks for assuming the DoI while I'm out. I believe I will be able to check back sparingly, but do not entrust your lives on it. Moose: I'm thinking of ordering that book you wrote about. Sounds interesting.

[mrdeano]

Sources of Choline - What are Good Sources of Choline? Until 2004, when the USDA published a database of choline in foods, we only had scattered studies to go on. This more systematic study has revealed some surprises, notably that there is less choline in many foods than previously thought. Although most foods have at least a little choline, some people may have to pay more close attention to get enough in their diets, particularly if they do not eat many whole eggs. Here are some examples of foods that are particularly high in choline, taken from the USDA’s Database for Choline in Foods. Beef liver - pan-fried - 100 grams (about 3.5 oz) - 418 mg Whole large egg - 112 mg choline Beef (ground) 80% lean/20% fat - 3.5 oz patty - 81 mg Cauliflower - 3/4 C cooked (1" pieces) - 62 mg Navy beans - 1/2 C cooked - 48 mg Tofu - 100 grams (about 3.5 oz) - 28 mg Almonds - sliced - 1/2 cup - 26 mg Peanut butter - 2 T - 20 mg For me, one of the important messages of choline (and other recently-discovered nutrients) is that we are still learning so much about nutrition. This emphasizes the importance of eating a variety of whole foods, so we will be less likely to miss out on some yet-to-be-discovered nutrients. http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nut.../a/choline.htm

[Jeff777]

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[Fact Check Pending]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] Here is part one of Chapter 3. I included two more references which will be at the bottom. Researchers, please fact check. I'll ask someone with time in Editing to take a look as this is still needs editing. Special thank you to Kromoh for allowing me to copy some of his work on the stages of sleep! The Science of Sleep and Dreaming (Tentative Title) Humanity has been dreaming since the beginning of our existence. Throughout history and all the ages, mystics, shamans, witch doctors, yogis and the like have attempted to understand sleep, dreams and their meanings. Nathaniel Kleitman was a professor who established the world's first sleep laboratory in 1925 at the University of Chicago. He and a graduate student by the name of Eugene Aserinsky can be considered the fathers of the study of sleep. After hours of watching subjects sleep, Kleitman and Aserinsky discovered REM sleep. With further study they were able to find that REM sleep coincided with the dream state, and so the physiology of sleep and dreams was finally given its first true foundations in science. Ever since their discovery, science has been able to uncover more about the stages of sleep and the nature of each stage. Measuring brain activity in a sleeping person, scientists discovered that sleep consists of repetitive cycles of brain activity, during which you go through every important part of sleep. These cycles have a duration of around 90 minutes, and change slightly depending on how long you have been sleeping for. The very first stage (N1) is not necessarily sleep, but rather a beginning to sleep. It is a transition from wakefulness to sleep, often referred to as somnolence. Slowly, brain activity lowers, and the brain enters the sleep process. This is the stage during which hypnic jerks occur. The following stage (N2) is responsible for around 50% of total sleep. Muscular activity lowers and consciousness of the external environment disappears. Stage N3 works primarily as a transition period from stage 2 to the deepest stage 4. This is the stage in which night terrors, bedwetting, sleepwalking and sleep-talking occur. Stage N4, together with stage N3, are considered to be what is called "deep sleep". Brain activity is the lowest, though it is lower on N4. They are considered to be essential for rest, and, together with REM (further below), will rebound in the next night if a person is deprived of them in one night of sleep. Also, trying to wake someone up during deep sleep can prove extremely difficult depending on the person. The final stage to mention is REM, or Rapid Eye Movement sleep. It is so called because of the rapid movements of the eyes during this phase. Mental activity raises and the brain behaves similar to that of a person who is meditating. For Lucid Dreaming, this is perhaps the most important sleep phase, as it is theorised that the majority of dreams occur during REM sleep. Furthermore, some neurotransmitters in the brain, such as seratonin, are completely shut down, thus inducing what is called sleep atonia (popularly named Sleep Paralysis), during which motor functions do not work. The person is rendered physically motionless, and based on that comes a possible explanation of what dreams are. This theory, given shape to by Dr. Stephen LaBerge, will be explained below. Our brain keeps an updated, functional image of our body at all times. This allows us, for example, to know where our arms are placed without actually having to look at them; and to guarantee better muscular coordination for the body. Due to sleep atonia which happens in our sleep, interestingly, even though the body image is still there, if you try to move, say, an arm, it will not move at all. But for the brain, it will be like it had moved. The brain will update the body image, believing the arm has been moved, when actually it has never left its original position. The effect of this is that we can actually "move" our body image, without really moving our physical bodies. Thanks to the highly hallucinogenic state REM sleep gets us in, the brain is then able to actually make up what it would be seeing instead of what it is actually seeing (the back of our eyelids). This is how dreams work: you are able to move your body image without actually moving your real body, and your characteristic, imaginative mind fills in the details. While we have begun to answer the question of how we sleep, unfortunately there are still no clear answers on why we sleep. It is known that REM sleep--or dreaming sleep--is necessary for our bodies and minds to function. Rest is not a substitute for sleep. Because of this, scientists suspect that there are things the mind needs from sleep such as brain development or memory. No theory as of yet has been stood up to the rigors of scientific review, so nothing has been proven, but researchers are still hopeful. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/1999...-kleitman.html http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/11/sc...-we-sleep.html The next part will be on the physiology of lucid dreaming. Should have it posted by tomorrow at the latest. Thanks!

[mrdeano]

I will send the above out to the team immediately.

[Naiya]

I will send the above out to the team immediately. We've already got the next draft up, so please do that instead: http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...52&postcount=9

[Exhalent]

Sorry guys, I do not recall checking in here. I have been pretty busy lately, but hopefully I can get around to contributing. Anything other than the fact check that needs researched/completed, or should I just go freelance?

[mrdeano]

Sorry guys, I do not recall checking in here. I have been pretty busy lately, but hopefully I can get around to contributing. Anything other than the fact check that needs researched/completed, or should I just go freelance? Freelance until you receive requests from the writing department. At this moment, have a read through the 'Chapter 3 wip' thread and check for any factual errors. Thanks

[mrdeano]

Prospective Memory - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospective_memory The part of the brain, that is responsible for remembering to recognize dreamsigns is called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortext (DPC). This part of the brain that is located at the front of your head, is responsible for all kinds of short-term memory activities. The one we need to focus on is called "prospective memory", the intention to remember to do something in the future. It is this DPC part of the brain that is relatively inactive during normal REM-sleep, but suddenly becomes active when you are lucid in your dreams. Your success in recognizing dreaming is therefore highly related to your prospective memory skills. Knowing which recurrent dreamsigns you have, having a specific lucid dream plan ready, feeling motivated and excited, and your ability to visualize yourself becoming lucid are all related to stimulate the DPC as much as possible before going to bed. So as I mentioned earlier on, all six steps we've previously discussed in the Lucidipedia Matrix have led up to your success in prospective memory. http://www.lucidipedia.com/learning/...ecognizedreams DL-PFC serves as the highest cortical area responsible for motor planning, organization, and regulation. It plays an important role in the integration of sensory and mnemonic information and the regulation of intellectual function and action. It is also involved in working memory. However, DL-PFC is not exclusively responsible for the executive functions. All complex mental activity require the additional cortical and subcortical circuits that DL-PFC is connected with.[2][3] The stroke syndrome which results from damage to the DLPFC is called "dysexecutive syndrome". Functional studies demonstrate both executive function as well as Working Memory.[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorsola...frontal_cortex

[mrdeano]

I wonder if I could find a what food is good for your dreams and maybe a chef could make a simple meal using the ingredients. We could called it the 'Lucid Dreamer Meal' or something

[mrdeano]

I have decided that I am going to try and avoid Wikipedia from now on. Since anyone is able to edit pages. Anyway here is what I have found Spoiler for History Of Sleep Pararlysis: Sleep paralysis was first described in 1876 by Mitchell, who termed it "night palsy" (Mitchell 1876); the term "sleep paralysis" was introduced by Wilson in 1928. Earlier descriptions are, however, found in the medical literature, such as the one by the Dutch physician Isbrand van Diemerbroeck in 1664 (Kompanje 2008). Other names in English used to describe sleep paralysis include "nocturnal paralysis," "cataplexy of awakening," "hypnagogic and hypnopompic paralysis," and "predormital and postdormital paralysis"; in French it has been termed cataplexie du reveil. Furthermore, "Old Hag" in Canada, kanashibari in Japan, "ghost oppression" in Hong Kong Chinese (Wing et al 1994), and ogun oru in Nigerians (Aina and Famuyiwa 2007) are colloquial terms employed by patients and reflect popular credence of sleep paralysis as witchcraft possession and paranormal experiences, very relevant to the issue of transcultural psychiatry (Gangdev 2006; Jacobson 2009). Adie and Wilson, in the 1920s, noted that sleep paralysis occurs frequently in narcoleptic patients. Sleep paralysis is included in the "narcoleptic tetrad" together with sleep attacks, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Sleep paralysis may also occur in otherwise normal persons, a condition called "isolated recurrent sleep paralysis." The familial occurrence of isolated sleep paralysis is called "familial sleep paralysis." Isolated recurrent sleep paralysis is classified within the parasomnias usually associated with REM sleep in the current International Classification of Sleep Disorders (American Sleep Disorders Association 2005) http://www.medlink.com/web_content/MLT0004T.asp Although what is interesting is even though a lot of sources state Weir Mitchell was the first to describe Sleep paralysis, this source states that sleep paralysis was described in an earlier book 'Moby Dick' There can?t be many people who have not seen the film ?Moby Dick?, either in its original 1956 version with Gregory Peck, or the more recent 1998 television adaptation with Patrick Stewart. I?m sure too that many people will have read the book itself, written by Herman Melville way back in 1851. What you probably won?t remember however is one particular passage from the book in which the narrator, Ishmael, says: ?For what seemed ages piled on ages, I lay there, frozen with the most awful fears, not daring to drag away my hand; yet ever thinking that if I could but stir in one single inch, the horrid spell would be broken. I knew not how this consciousness at last glided away from me; but waking in the morning, I shudderingly remembered it all, and for days and weeks and months afterwards I lost myself in confounding attempts to explain the mystery.? Although sleep paralysis would not be described by the American neurologist Weir Mitchell for another 25 years, this gives us a vivid account of a condition that has been around since the dawn of time. http://www.roseindia.net/articles/pa...ishy-tale.page I am pretty sure someone with a copy of the book can confirm that.

[Naiya]

Wiki is a good place to start, but I agree that it's better to rely on it as an actual source as little as possible.

[Jeff777]

Great work deano . I'll index it now.

[mrdeano]

I really need to get my ass down to the library. XD

[Naiya]

Yes! Go find out more about the history or dreaming and lucid dreaming!! Kthx!

[Jabrol2001]

Okedoky im checking in. Whats up? How is everyone? Have a good summer?

[Jabrol2001]

Any reaserch you guys want to throw at me?

[Jeff777]

Hey Jabrol Go here. and checkout the directory of information. We'll need research from magazines articles, websites (and books especially) on dream related information to support the author of Chapter IV