Essentials: Understand and Use Dreams to Learn and Forget

Understanding the different phases of sleep, slow wave sleep and REM sleep, is essential due to their unique roles in supporting various cognitive functions like learning and emotional processing.

Slow wave sleep supports motor learning and detailed information retention

Slow wave sleep happens mostly at the beginning of the night and is characterized by distinct large, sweeping waves of brain activity, indicating that the brain is metabolically active during this phase. This type of sleep is crucial for motor learning and the retention of fine details. For instance, if someone is learning a new dance move or practicing a piano piece, these motor skills are reinforced predominantly during slow wave sleep. Additionally, this sleep phase allows for learning and memory consolidation regarding specific events.

Resistance exercise can enhance the proportion of slow wave sleep, further aiding in the establishment of motor skills and the acquisition of fine detailed information. The slow wave sleep phase is critical mainly for this motor learning and the internalization of specific details about experiences.

REM sleep facilitates emotional processing and unlearning

REM sleep, in contrast, plays a pivotal role in emotional processing and unlearning. It involves a temporary paralysis and hallucinatory experiences in one's dreams, occurring without the neuromodulator epinephrine, which is linked to fear and anxiety. The absence of epinephrine during REM sleep may aid in the emotional processing and unlearning, helping to detach emotions from experiences as if undergoing self-induced therapy each night.

Without sufficient REM sleep, individuals may exhibit increased emotional irritability and may respond to minor issues with disproportionate an ...

Understanding the neurochemical interplay during the two different phases of sleep—slow wave sleep and REM sleep—is essential for grasping how our brains process information and emotions.

Slow wave sleep is dominated by low acetylcholine, moderate [restricted term], and high serotonin

During slow wave sleep, the activities of certain neuromodulators are adjusted. Acetylcholine, which is associated with focus and attention, is lower during slow wave sleep in comparison to waking states. This diminished level of acetylcholine results in less focused activity within the brain circuits. The presence of very little [restricted term] suggests that there is some activity related to movement circuitry, despite it being a period typically characterized by motor quiescence.

In contrast to acetylcholine and [restricted term], there is a considerable amount of serotonin active during slow wave sleep. Serotonin is linked with feelings of well-being and contentment, as well as a tendency not to move much. The combination of these neuromodulator levels during slow wave sleep supports processes such as motor learning and the encoding of detailed information.

REM sleep is devoid of [restricted term] and serotonin

REM sleep presents an entirely different neurochemical landscape. Both serotonin and [restricted term], chemicals instrumental in mood regulation and movement, are absent during REM sleep. Serotonin's absence removes the sensation of well-being typically promoted by its presence. Furthermore, with [restricted term] at zero activity—a rarity in life equivalent to the absence of adrenaline—there is a complete ...

Huberman explores the relationship between natural processes in REM sleep and therapeutic techniques aimed at alleviating the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. Both EMDR therapy and [restricted term] treatment for trauma show similarities to the mechanisms and effects of REM sleep.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy mimics the lateral eye movements of REM sleep

Huberman notes that EMDR treatment for trauma, which involves lateral eye movements, closely resembles REM sleep in its capacity to reduce the fear response associated with traumatic memories. Studies have shown that these lateralized eye movements, not vertical ones, can suppress the activity of the amygdala, which signals the experience of fear and anxiety.

EMDR therapy is particularly successful with single event or specific types of trauma and should be done under clinical supervision by certified professionals. EMDR therapy involves clients moving their eyes from side to side while recounting a traumatic event. This process aims to dissociate the emotional experiences of trauma, allowing clients to recall those experiences without the associated stress eventually. The lateralized eye movements play a crucial role in suppressing the fear response as clients recount or repeat the traumatic experience.

EMDR has been shown to reduce the emotional intensity associated with traumatic memories, paralleling the effects of REM sleep.

REM sleep normally processes emotional experiences without the presence of epinephrine, a chemical responsible for generating fear responses. By mimicking the lateral eye movement of REM sleep, EMDR allows individuals to uncouple the intense emotions tied to traumatic events, echoing the therapeutic uncoupling observed during REM sleep.

[restricted term] therapy disrupts NMDA receptor activity, similar to the neurochemical changes in REM sleep

[restricted term], a dissociative anesthetic, shares fundamental features with REM sleep. Huberman suggests that [restricted term] and EMDR treatments parallel REM sleep's ab ...

Effective strategies for optimizing sleep are essential for enhancing learning and emotional well-being. Consistent sleep patterns, engaging in resistance exercise, and avoiding sleep-disrupting substances are key factors in achieving restorative sleep.

Consistency in sleep duration is more important than total sleep time

Quality sleep is not only about the total number of hours you get but also about how consistently you maintain those hours. Limiting the variation in the amount of sleep each night is crucial. Consistently getting about six hours or six and a half hours of sleep is more beneficial for brain function and overall health than aiming for eight or nine but experiencing variable sleep patterns.

Getting a similar amount of sleep each night (e.g. 6-6.5 hours) is more beneficial than variable sleep patterns

Consistency in sleep patterns is emphasized further, with a nightly sleep duration of six to six and a half hours being more advantageous when compared to a sleep cycle that fluctuates in duration. This regularity is better than having changing sleep hours every night, which could potentially disrupt cognitive functions and emotional regulation.

Engaging in resistance exercise can increase slow wave sleep

Huberman highlights how certain daytime activities, such as resistance exercises, can augment the quality of sleep, specifically slow wave sleep.

The metabolic and endocrine effects of resistance training promote slow wave sleep, which supports motor learning and memory consolidation

The metabolic and endocrine responses triggered by resistance exercise can induce more slow wave sleep, which is necessary for motor skill development and the consolidation of memories. This type of sleep is enhanced due to the release of growth hormones during and after resistance training, underscoring the importa ...