Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 06/10/2013 23:20:44

Title: Is it possible not to dream for months?
Post by: thedoc on 06/10/2013 23:20:44

I use to dream but I not sure if I still do or just cannot remember in the morning. Is it possible not to dream in months?
Asked by Thokozani


                                        Visit the webpage for the podcast in which this question is answered. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/naked-scientists/show/20131001-1/)

[chapter podcast=1000514 track=13.10.01/Naked_Scientists_Show_13.10.01_1001391.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd)  ...or Listen to the Answer[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/13.10.01/Naked_Scientists_Show_13.10.01_1001391.mp3)

Title: Is it possible not to dream for months?
Post by: thedoc on 06/10/2013 23:20:44

We answered this question on the show...

Jason Rihel - Yes. In fact, it’s possible not to dream for as far as we’re aware, years. [img float=right]/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_sleepycat.jpg.jpg[/img]So, some patients that take certain kinds of anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, actually have a massive suppression of REM sleep which is the dreaming sleep. They seem to have no obvious cognitive impairments due to the lack of REM sleep which comes to the question, what is REM sleep for and what are dreams for? We don’t really know, but one idea is that it’s a way to prepare the brain for wakefulness. The brain becomes active again after being in this strange slow wave sleep phase and then perhaps it’s just a way to prepare the brain to be active.