The Role of Sleep and REM Sleep in Optimal Learning - Research Paper Example

The Role of Sleep and REM Sleep in Optimal Learning We live in a fast paced world that does not allow a person of any age a tremendous amount of time with which to recharge the energy that we use on a daily basis. Our sleep patterns have been affected by the stress, noise, and limited time for rest that exist in our daily lives. It has gotten to the point where people oftentimes go about their daily tasks while being sleep deprived. Experts in the field of sleep research have come to the conclusion that sleep deprivation has mostly negative effects upon the population. It is their belief that lack of sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep in particular, has a direct relation with the ability of a person to function and learn on an effective platform. The consensus is that lack of sleep can have effects upon the mood, motivation, judgment and perception of people, thus the need for a consolidated sleep throughout the night in order to ensure optimal learning and memory development (Ellenbogen & Stickgold, 2006). The currently existing research begs us to ask the question: “What role does sleep and REM sleep play in optimal learning?” This paper will serve to help look into the deeper co-relation between sleep and REM sleep in terms of optimal learning and what the current belief pertaining to sleep and sleep patterns are. Although there is already existing research pertaining to the various sleep stages that the human mind and body are involved in when in a state of rest, very little is known about how the lack of sleep and REM sleep affects the ability of a person to learn. There are actually two types of sleep that children and adults experience. These are the Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep. Non-rapid eye movement sleep is the sleep method through which our body re-energizes and among children, important blood supply, growth nutrients, and muscles are increased. Rapid eye movement sleep, on the other hand, provides the human brain with the ability to become active and allow for a dream state in both children and adults. It is at this stage of sleep that optimal learning is believed to occur among individuals (“Children and Sleep”, n.d.) According to Winson (1993), Rapid Eye Movement is a stage of sleep that is present in all marsupial and placental mammals. He explains that Rapid Eye Movement sleep was “first identified in 1953. Although the brain stem mechanisms responsible for its generation have been clarified, the function of rapid eye movement sleep remains elusive. Recent findings suggest a role in memory processing. This type of deep sleep, when interrupted, produces the most harmful effects of sleep deprivation in a person. The most common interruptions to our sleep cycle occur when we are woken during the night, work night or swing shifts, and smoke or drink before going to bed. All of these interruptions are believed to have a direct effect on the sleep and learning cycle of a person. It is normally advised that toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults have a regular sleep pattern that falls under the following categories in terms of hours of sleep required for optimal learning (Smith & Segal, 2012): Newborn (0-2 months) 12-18 hours Infants (3 months -1 year) 14-15 hours Toddlers (1-3 years) 12 - 14 hours Pre-schoolers (3-5 years) 11-13 hours School aged children (5-12 years) 10-11 hours Teens and preteens (12-18 years) 8.5 to 10 hours Adults (18 ++) 7.5 - 9 hours Without the uninterrupted sleep hours for the people of these various ages, their ability to absorb and learn from the world around them decreases. One needs to understand that although we can function on limited hours of sleep, it does not mean that one will be functioning at an optimal level. It is of the utmost importance that a person manages to acquire at least 70-90 minutes of uninterrupted REM sleep in order to achieve his optimal learning potential. In 2004, Mark Greer attended a sleep conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Notable sleep experts Cheryl Spinweber, PhD, of the Scripps Mercy Sleep Disorders Center, Richard Bootzin, PhD, of the University of Arizona, and Tracy Kuo, PhD, of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic were present at this conference where the new research highlighting the potential benefits of sleep, most notably a stronger memory and longer attention spans were presented to those in the audience at the Western Psychological Association's 84th Annual Convention. Dr. Maas pointed out the critical need for a good night sleep as not being a luxury, but a necessity. He stressed that (Greer, 2004) "Your alertness, energy, performance, thinking, productivity, creativity, safety and health will be affected by how much you sleep... Good sleep is the best predictor of life span and quality of life." The concentration on Rapid Eye Movement as a way for the brain to boost alertness has always been an enigma that has puzzled many scientists. According to Maas (Greer, 2004), REM sleep is the method by which the brain stores new information into long term memory by experiencing sleep spindles. Greer (2004) describes these sleep spindles as: Sleep spindles – one- to two-second bursts of brain waves that rapidly wax and wane at strong frequencies, so-called for the spike image they form on an EEG reading – occur during REM sleep. The REM phase usually takes place toward the end of the night, between the sixth and eighth hours of sleep, when people are most likely to dream. In fact, Maas said, the brain's neural patterns during REM sleep resemble those of its awakened state. Although sleep spindles are a relatively new discovery in the area of sleep research, it has come to be understood as the method that allows the brain to replenish neurotransmitters that are necessary for remembering, learning, performance and problem solving. Remove the sleep spindles from the REM cycle and one will tend to veer towards the clumsy, stupid, and unhealthy side of life. 25% of our sleeping time is actually spent in Rapid Eye Movement mode. This is the time when our brains are active but our physical movement is hindered by a rapid heart rate, constant darting of the eyes, and muscle paralysis. Children need more REM sleep time than adults due to the brain development and learning activities occurring in their lives. The National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke (Logan, 2010) explains that: “REM sleep stimulates the areas of the brain we use in learning. Specifically, this could impact infants and play a role in normal brain development during this time, explaining why they spend so much more time in REM sleep than adults.” Advanced studies in the field of sleep research have shown that the human brain is made up mostly of proteins. These proteins see an increased production supply during the Rapid Eye Movement portion of our sleep cycle. These proteins are used by the brain to enhance the long term memory absorption of the brain. Despite the current trend advocating the importance of Rapid Eye Movement during the human sleep cycle, there are still certain sectors in the field of sleep research, which tend to believe that the importance of REM sleep is only hype. There is a long held adaptive theory that REM sleep is actually used to help our nervous system mature. The intense neural activity of REM sleep may, thus, play a decisive role in the maturation of the central nervous system during a period when the brain receives fewer external stimuli. But this theory still does not explain why REM sleep persists in adults (“Tool Module: The Possible Functions of Sleep, n.d.). More time and research are required in order to fully understand the relationship among sleep, learning, and memorizing. Studies have shown that people with constantly interrupted REM sleep cycles tend to have a problem with learning that has to do with visual and motor skills. Past, recent, and present research has proven that sleep and Rapid Eye Movement within the sleep cycle go hand in hand in terms of creating an optimal learning situation for all individuals regardless of age. Sleep and REM cycles help our brains process and understand the information that we gather during our time of consciousness. However, the constant sleep deprivation and interrupted sleep which those of us continue to experience have proven to have a direct effect on this learning cycle. More research will be needed in order to fully uncover the direct relationship among sleep, REM sleep, and learning. The foundation and basis for the relationship has already been established by various leading names in the field of sleep research. All that remains is for the other sleep research scientists to connect the dots and fill in any gaps that might exist in terms of the current information on sleep and REM sleep cycles because there is an actual relationship between optimal learning and the sleep cycles of each individual. Sources Ellenbogen, J. M., & Stickgold, R. Sleep, learning, and memory. (2006). Healthy sleep. Retrieved from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory. Greer, M. (2004). Strengthen your brain by resting it. Monitor, 35 (7), 60. Logan, C. (2010). Rem sleep in children. livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/273116-rem-sleep-in-children/. Children and sleep (n.d.). National Sleep Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/children-and-sleep. Tool module: The possible functions of sleep. (n.d.). thebrain. Retrieved from http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/capsules/outil_bleu23.html. Understanding sleep: Body clock and sleep cycles. (n.d.). Harvard Health Publications. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/sleep_cycles_body_clock.htm Smith, M., & Robinson, L. (2012). How much sleep do you need? helpguide.org. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm#deep. Winson, J. (1993). The biology and function of rapid eye movement sleep. Current Opinion on Neurobiology, 3 (2), 243–248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.031. Read More