PSY 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Memory Consolidation, Osmosis, Psy
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Protection sleeping in the darkness when predators loomed about kept our ancestors out of har(cid:373)"s (cid:449)a(cid:455). Recuperation sleep helps restore and repair brain tissue. Consolidation of memories leep restores a(cid:374)d re(cid:271)uilds our fadi(cid:374)g (cid:373)e(cid:373)ories. We do(cid:374)"t learn through osmosis, but there is evidence for sleep-related memory consolidation. In one study participants performed better on a memory test after an interval of sleep than after an equal interval of being awake. Growth process during sleep, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone. Older people release less of this hormone and sleep less. Tha(cid:374)ks to tho(cid:373)as ediso(cid:374)"s (cid:271)right idea, (cid:449)e sleep less than our ancestors. Teens, for example, need 8 or 9 hours per night but average, only get 7. Impaired concentration: emotional irritability, depressed immune system, greater vulnerability, death. The average person spends about 600 hours per year, dreaming some. 1500 dreams: 80% of dreams are marked by at least one negative event, such as being atta(cid:272)ked, pursued, or reje(cid:272)ted.
