Page 55 - Biblical Counseling II-Textbook

Sleep deprivation can make us more vulnerable to being overweight and can suppress immune cells that
fight off viral infections and cancer. This may explain why people who sleep 7 to 8 hours a night tend to
outlive those who are often sleep deprived, and why older adults who have no difficulty falling or
staying asleep tend to live longer than their sleep-deprived agemates. When infections do set in, we
typically sleep more, boosting our immune cells (Myers, 2009).

What is sleep’s function?
1. Sleep protects. Species sleep patterns fit needs. For example, large animals like elephants sleep only
3-4 hours. Gorillas sleep around 12 while bats sleep for 20 hours! Why? In class we would discuss that
larger animals need to be awake to watch for predators while smaller animals can hide to sleep.

2. Sleep helps us recuperate, restore and repair brain tissue.

3. Sleep is for making memories. While we are asleep we restore and rebuild our memories of the day.

4. Sleep feeds creative thinking. We learn more when we are rested. Sleep increases our thinking and
learning. Good sleep is imporant!

5. Sleep may play a role in the growth process. Our pituitary gland releases growth hormones. As we
age, it releases less hormones which leads to needing less sleep.

Suggestions for Better Sleep
In class we talk about ways to sleep better. This list usually includes not looking at screens at night
(phones!), relaxing before bed by reading or talking, exercise in the afternoon, and avoid caffeine in the
afternoon. Can you think of other suggestions for better sleep?

Why We Dream
Psychologists speculate that we dream for four different reasons. Do you believe these are true?

Wish-fullfillment: When we dream we express unrealistic feelings or actions.
Physiological function: Dreams help develop the brain. They may help develop and preserve neural
pathways in the brain.
Activation-synthesis: Visual memories that are “seen” in dreams change into stories. Dreams help us
process our day.
Cognitive development: Dreams reflect our knowledge and understanding of the world. They help us
sort events and store memories.

7.4 Let’s Review

1. Define circadian rhythm.

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