The Brain and Sleep

By Nana and Joel

Introduction

• The goal of this PowerPoint is to deomstrate the relationship between sleep and the brain.

Sleep

• Nobody knows exactly why we sleep. Some theorize it is a survival function, while others assume it is to conserve energy, or “restore” what was lost while awake.

How does sleep help us?

• Sleep is needed for the nervous system (including the brain) to work properly. Sleep also helps with growth. The body cells also increase production, and reduce breakdown of proteins while we sleep.

Dreams

• We sleep when our body has stopped moving and our movement slows down and we go into deep sleep mode. When we’re sleeping are brain is working in the same way. Dreaming has also shown to act as a sort of “overnight therapy”.

Nightmares

• Nightmares are frightening dreams that awake you from a deep sleep. They take place at the times where you usually dream. Nightmares can be caused by an increased metabolism from a late-night snack, or from certain medicines.

Bibliography

• "Why Do We Sleep, Anyway?" Why Do We Sleep, Anyway? Harvard, 18 Dec. 2007. Web. 02 Mar. 2015.

• "Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep." : National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). NINDS, 25 July 2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2015

• "Adult Nightmares: Causes and Treatments." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.