Latest

dreaming

This shows a man surrounded by shadowy figures.

·May 20, 2024·4 min read

Social Media Nightmares: A New Phenomenon

A new study finds a link between increased social media use and the likelihood of experiencing social media-related nightmares. These nightmares, often involving themes of cyberbullying, online hate, or excessive social media use, are associated with negative mental health outcomes like anxiety and depression. The research introduces the Social Media Nightmare-Related Scale (SMNS) to quantify this phenomenon and calls for further investigation into the impact of social media on dreams.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 14, 2024·4 min read

Dreams Dull the Distress of Emotional Memories

Dreaming helps prioritize and diminish the severity of emotionally charged memories. Participants who reported dreaming had better recall and were less reactive to negative images.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 13, 2024·6 min read

Parasomnia: What Happens in the Brain During Sleepwalking?

Researchers made significant advances in understanding parasomnias—complex sleep behaviors where individuals are semi-conscious, often interacting with their environment. The team explored brain activity during these episodes, revealing that dreams and unconscious actions can occur during non-REM sleep, challenging previous assumptions about sleep stages and dream occurrence.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 15, 2024·6 min read

The Mysteries of Dreams and Their Impact on Our Lives

Researchers highlight groundbreaking approaches to studying dreams, revealing their significant impact on our waking lives. They are exploring how dreams influence perceptions of sleep quality and overall cognitive functioning.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 16, 2023·6 min read

Dreams Across Cultures: How Societies Shape Our Dreamscapes

Researchers conducted a study analyzing dreams of individuals across different cultures. By comparing dreams of forager communities in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo with Western dreams, they found the former often depicted more threatening yet socially-supportive scenarios.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 9, 2023·6 min read

The Dream Dance: Decoding REM’s Mystical Nightly Show in Our Brains

REM sleep, marked by rapid eye movement, is one of the most mysterious stages of our nightly rest, known for vivid dreams. This phase, repeating every 90 to 120 minutes, possibly prevents sleeping too deeply, making us less vulnerable.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2023·6 min read

In Dreams of Color: Octopuses Exhibit REM-Like Sleep Patterns

Octopuses, despite their completely different brain structures, display sleep cycles akin to humans. The research reveals octopuses enter an active sleep phase similar to REM sleep in humans, suggesting the existence of this sleep stage in complex cognition across species.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 10, 2023·4 min read

Unlocking Memory Secrets: The Surprising Power of Sleep & Dreams

Recent neuroscience studies underscore the profound impact of sleep and sleep disorders on memory. Sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, selectively preserving relevant memories while discarding non-essential ones. However, sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome, can significantly hinder this process, leading to memory impairments. These insights highlight the need for effective treatment strategies to ensure cognitive health.

This shows a man sitting at a dark window

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 11, 2023·3 min read

Treatment Recommendations for People Who Act Out Their Dreams While Asleep

REM sleep behavior disorder, or parasomnia, affects more than 80 million people worldwide. The disorder causes sufferers to experience nightmare-like violent dreams. Sufferers act on their dreams while sleeping, often resulting in violent or dangerous sleep behaviors and injuries. Researchers propose new guidelines, including medical and pharmacological recommendations, to help curb symptoms of parasomnia and promote healthier sleep.

This shows shadowy figures behind a sheet

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 27, 2022·4 min read

Researchers Ease Nightmares by Manipulating Emotions in Dreams

Rehearsing positive versions of frequent nightmares before sleep and playing noises associated with positive daytime experiences during sleep helps reduce nightmare frequency, a new study reports.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 21, 2022·2 min read

Nightmares in Middle Age Linked to Dementia Risk

Middle-aged people who experience at least one nightmare a week are four times more likely to experience cognitive decline during the following decade. Older adults who experience weekly nightmares are twice as likely to develop dementia. The association is much stronger for men than women.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 25, 2022·4 min read

Eye Movements in REM Sleep Mimic Gazes in the Dream World

Eye movements that occur during REM sleep aren't random. They appear to coordinate what's happening during dreaming. The findings shed new light on what happens when we dream, and how our imagination works.