Page 44 - Biblical Counseling II

Sleep
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:7-8

Connect…

“Now playing at an inner theater near you: the premiere
showing of a sleeping person’s vivid dream. This never-
before-seen mental movie features captivating
characters wrapped in a plot that is original and unlikely,
yet seemingly real.
Waking from a dream, we may wonder how our brain
can so creatively, colorfully, and completely construct
this inner-space world. Caught for a moment between
our dreaming and waking consciousness, we may even
be unsure which worlds are real. Sleep’s mysteries have
intrigued scientists for centuries” (Myers, p. 50, 2009).
(photo: spiritualray.com)

Think for a few minutes about dreams you’ve had
recently or ones you remember from the past. Also
reflect for a moment on how much sleep you get and if
you feel well rested when you wake in the morning. Then
continue reading this section on sleep.

The Lesson ...

Sleep Rhythms

Circadian rhythm is our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (like temperature,
wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle. When you are deeply asleep, your perceptual
window is actually not completely shut. You move around on your bed, but you manage not
to fall out. The occasional roar of passing vehicles may leave your deep sleep undisturbed,
but a cry from a baby quickly interrupts it, and so does the sound of your name. EEG, or
brain recordings, confirm that the brain’s auditory
cortex responds to sound stimuli even during sleep. And when we are asleep, as when we are awake, we
process most information outside our conscious awareness (Myers, 2012).

Many of sleep’s mysteries are now being solved as some people sleep, attached to recording devices, while
others observe. By recording brain waves and muscle movements, and by observing and occasionally waking
sleepers, researchers are glimpsing things that a thousand years of common sense never told us. Perhaps
you can anticipate some of their discoveries. Are the following statements true or false?

1. When people dream of performing some activity, their arms and legs often move with the
dream.
2. Older adults sleep more than young adults.
3. Sleepwalkers are acting out their dreams.

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