Homework for 2/25

Link 1: To Get Good Grades, Get Good Sleep

1. What were 3 things you found interesting?
a. People suffering from sleep-deprivation are at an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, psychological problems and car crashes
b. Students who don’t get enough sleep have poorer attendance and lower grades.
c. You’re probably better off sleeping than cramming for a test.

2. What are 2 things that makes you want to learn more about?
a. I would like to learn how to study other than cramming, so I am prepared enough for a test, and can get enough sleep.
b. I would like to question why high schools don't start later in the day, since sleep is so important for attendance and good grades.

3. Skills as a critical thinker: Well, we learned that sleep is necessary to "fuel" the body. We have more energy and a better attention span when we recharge at night, and if one goes long enough without sleep, they can die. So I really wonder why American Psychologists don't pressure the national schools to take these facts into consideration when planning the school day. American test scores and graduation rates may be higher if something as minor as the starting time was altered.

Link 2: Brain Sacks Out in Stages

1. Something interesting: I just find it interesting that our body is smart enough to know that it is not a good idea to just suddenly shut down. But shutting down in stages, the brain gives the body time to react, which avoids dangerous, and potentially lethal, situations. For example, if it weren't for the stages of shut-down, people would be constantly falling asleep at the wheel, causing accidents.

3. Critical thinking: So, it is generally considered a good thing that the brain shuts down in stages, and I fully agree. But what if the brain just shut down when it needed to? Then the body would know when it is time to go to sleep, and we are guarenteed to get the amount of sleep we need to act to our full potential. Right now even, I am struggling to stay awake at this computer. Probably a mix of staring at the screen, talking about sleep, and the fact that its the middle of Senior Week. But if the body shut down when it needed to, I wouldn't be able to fight the urge to close my eyes like I am now, and I would be guarenteed the rest I need. Just something to think about.

Link 3: Sleep position gives personality clue

1. "What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect." : I sleep in the Foetus position! Way to be the norm.
And this is what it means: The Foetus: Those who curl up in the foetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.
This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41% of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position.

2. More learning: I would like to learn more about the health effects of your sleeping position. I always have stomach discomfort in the morning, and no medicine my doctor gives me seems to work. I have had it for at least 3 years now, so I'm basically used to it. But according to this article: "Professor Idzikowski said: "Lying down flat means that stomach contents can more readily be worked back up into the mouth, while those who lie on their back may end up snoring and breathing less well during the night.'" Hmm.

Link 4: Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep (Woah.)

1. Interesting? Yes: Siegel said that orexin A is unique in that it only had an impact on sleepy monkeys, not alert ones, and that it is "specific in reversing the effects of sleepiness" without other impacts on the brain." So, it won't have an effect on already awake people. That is definitely an added bonus, for safety and function reasons.

Dream Journal!

I've been writing everything in my notebook. Its time to put my journal in blog format.
So.

2/13
Time Asleep: 12am-11am, 11 hours. Dreams: None. A solid, uneventful sleep.
2/14
Time Asleep: 12:30am-11am, 10 and 1/2 hours. Dreams: I had a weird dream that me and my mom were vintage prom dress shopping, but I couldn't find anything in my size. But I did find a bunch of Star Wars t-shirts that I was strangely excited about...
2/15
Time asleep: 12am-8:30am, 8 and 1/2 hours. Dreams: I drempt that I wasn't accepted to college anywhere. Oops.
Nap- Time asleep: 10am-12:30pm, 2 and 1/2 hours, off and on. Typical half-sleeping in the car.
2/16
Time asleep: 12am-10am, 10 hours. Dreams: None. I was never asleep long enough to have any memorable dreams. I was sharing a bed with my sister, who kept moving around and hitting me. I barely slept at all.
2/17
Time asleep: 11pm-9am, 10 hours. Dreams: The first was caused by a text I got at 1:07 from Kyle about senior week, so I had a dream that my parents wouldn't let me participate in anything. Then I had another dream that I could barely remember when I woke up, all I remember was that Kenny was in it.
2/18
Time asleep: 12:30am-10:30am, 10 hours. Dreams: I had a really strange and vivid dream. I was driving to Kenny's indoor track meet, which somehow turned into a Cross Country race. I got there and sat down with Leah Kohler and Cassie Bowen (who I haven't talked to since middle school). They invited me to lunch to catch up, and then we went to Coldstone for ice-cream. I got this really weird colored one with rainbow sprinkles. And at the cash register I realized that I missed Kenny's race and he would be upset, so I ran back to the field and looked all over for him. I found him and he had won the race and was really happy, and apparently didn't know I missed it. Then we somehow ended up at his house and watched Titanic. Very strange.
2/19
Time asleep: 12:30am-11am, 10 and 1/2 hours. Dreams: I saw Sweeny Todd with the Millers that night, so I had a dream that me and Kenny lived on Fleet Street. It was pretty uneventful, we were making dinner (probably because we had made dinner together that night), and that was pretty much it.
2/20
Time asleep: 3:30am-9:30am, 6 hours. I had to write a paper that was due 2/12, and then deliver it to my teacher's house early in the morning. Dreams: None that I could remember.
Nap- Time asleep: 10:30pm-11:15pm, 45 minutes. Me and Kenny fell asleep on the couch for a bit.
2/21
Time asleep: 12:15am-8:45am- 8 hours 15 minutes. Dreams: None.
Nap- 9:00am-9:30am, 30 minutes. I wasn't quite ready to start the day yet, so I rested for a bit after my shower.
2/22
2/23