PBS Discussions

NOVA scienceNOW4 · Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 50 Location: Boston

The symptoms sound terrifying: loss of consciousness, diminished muscle control, and temporary blindness, just to name a few. And it happens to all of us for about a third of our lives. The diagnosis is sleep--but why does it happen? Scientists aren't sure, although new evidence suggests that a good night's rest, or even an afternoon nap, may play an important role in how well we learn and remember things. Do you believe that sleep has this quality, based on your experience?

Katheena · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 1 Location: New York

I experienced an unusual occurrence which i will try to impart here. I was suddenly awake one morning - something had woke me up and i was fully conscious and alert - i was given a thought impression of my brain downloading information from the previous day - i saw my thought process doing this - every occurrence was very quickly zipped down and filed under a code very much like a computer would do to organize and store information. Then suddenly it abruptly stopped -- it could go no further in downloading because of one piece of information that could not be understood and it was not known where to put this piece of information. The conscious part of my brain doing this had to communicate to my deeper conscious or sub conscious a question as to where to put this information. My subconcious replyed (and i was aware of this back & forth communication between them) that if you don't know where to put the info then directly ask her -- the reply to that was: but, she's sleeping. Subconsious in turn replied: wake her up and ask her. Therein lies the answer to how i was suddenly brought to be awake! Right then
I saw a question mark gently floating toward me and then suddenly saw a memory image of the previous evening when i was playing with my cat - i was making these guttoral screech throat sounds in a playful manner as i was brushing her, sort of cat language or my version anyway and my brain could not make sense as to what this (awful) sound actually was...i realized this is what my brain wanted to know and i just sort of mentally explained that i was simply playing with my cat and making those funny sounds -- and as soon as i gave this info ... i was aware that it was now processed and coded into a new category describing this specific sound and what it denoted. After my brain was able to process this it was then freed to continue to download every bit of info that i had experienced the day before....and thus i have a deeper understanding of what happens during our sleep time, as i actually saw it as it is or experienced it as it does. After this i immediately fell back to sleep, that is, my conscious gently put me back or allowed me to go back to that moment before it had awakened me.
I was amazed at this -- i realize how we are bombarded with bits of information throughout the day reaching all our senses and our minds cannot function with an overload so duriing sleep this information is computed by organizing and coding the bit by bit images, sights, sounds, tastes and everything, every single thing is filed and stored in our memory by our conscious under the command of the subconscious to keep a mental balance and free up conscious space that we may think clearly.
Mental restoration and to free up thinking space...that's my answer to why we sleep...and of course physical refreshment.
I also discovered that you can talk to your self or conscious and subconscious and it will answer your questions. Actually i think this all came about because i had previously thought out a question in regard to what happens when we sleep and that is the way it played out the answer!!
I hope i explained this clearly enough.

chavezbg86 · Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

When watching the show I found it very interesting and could actually relate to some of the examples shown in the show... for example the typing a 5-key string of digits over and over again. This was almost exactly an expericence I had when working at as a data entry person. I would get significantly better every time I did it. Even though I was working 8 hours, I didn't really get so much better every hour, but it was when I went home, had the break and went to work the next day. It would be a lot easier, I could type faster, more accurately.. just like what was showed on the episode. The same I noticed with juggling, which I have recently started for this summer. I would practice one day, get a little better, and then the next day it was as if there was just something I just understood better. I could juggle a little better, it was more comfortable, and now I can juggle very well.

One question I had though since it didn't really answer it in the show. If sleeping does help memorization... if you were wanting to study/learn something, when would the ideal time be? If you did it too early would you forget some of it? Should you do it right before bed so that it is the last thing you remember? Does it need a rest period before you go to bed? Also... when exactly do dreams take place? Do they happen WHILE the brain is doing the analyzing? before? after? I ask because I have had some WEIRD dreams which for all I can tell have nothing at all to do with my previous day.

But yea, it was a very interesting episode.

Egon_Freeman · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:54 am Post subject: Re: Sleep & Memory

WendyH · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

I have recentlhy been learning to fly stunt kites. Here is a link to one of many resources about the sport
http://www.intothewind.com/flying.html

I had watched the episode about sleep, and then happened to go to the beach to try to learn this sport. The frustration level was intense. My kite crashed into the sand over and over again. I felt like throwing the kite into the sea. Twisted Evil

I also was remembering the episode, and thought maybe my brain would practice and learn when I was sleeping. I did not try to fly the kite at all during the week, and the following weekend, everything was different. I was still crashing the kite once in awhile, but I could also fly it. Another week went by, and I could even lift it off the sand by myself without a helper. I have been telling my friends that I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Tyson -- I am not a natural athlete, but I believed my brain would figure this out in my sleep. Very Happy

The sport is a combination of human effort, and harmony with the natural element of the wind. The currents are invisible, but the kite is pulled and the flier feels the tension down the lines through the handles -- It takes a little practice to figure out the coordination -- and evidently some of that practice takes place when I'm sleeping.

rohit147 · Joined: 11 May 2008 Posts: 1

Hello,

this is rohit from india. I am a student and whenever i have exams i actually give myself ample time to sleep. this is because when i sleep properly and then get up to learn things/study then i tend to pick up things much easily compared to when i am a bit sleep deprived.

SO sleeping 8 hours a day is a must in my opinion.
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diamondblast · Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 7