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miche
Canada
283 Posts |
 Posted - 09/16/2007 : 19:16:54
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Thought this may be of interest to some of you, I find it particularly interesting as I always read that the main reason for fibro is the lack of slow wave sleep , the restorative sleep period.I copied a small part of the study by Dr Griffin
"Depressed people dream up to three times as much as non-depressed people."
This is a startling, and illuminating fact. And when combined with a recent breakthrough in dream and depression research by Joseph Griffin of the European Therapy Studies Institute, it gives us a clear understanding of the how depression affects us physically
However, because you do so much more ruminating, or introspecting, when depressed, the brain has to increase the amount of dreaming you do. And before long you are:
Spending too much time in dream sleep (Rapid Eye Movement - REM) and missing out on physically-rejuvenating Slow Wave Sleep.
Depleting your hormonal system with extended night-time emotional arousal.
Exhausting your 'orientation response' - a crucial brain activity that allows you to change your focus of attention and so motivate yourself. It is also a key part of concentration
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carbar
USA
227 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2007 : 20:52:37
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Well, here's the anecdotal evidence:
I've been feeling extra stress getting used to the back to school schedule of a lot more commitments in and out of work. Thus busy, thus TMS journaling and my own meditation practice have been getting squished out of the schedule.
I've been more tired and sleeping more the past two weeks than I did all summer. Also, dreaming way more. I don't think I remembered a dream all summer long and suddenly I'm waking up at all hours with stressful dreams hot on my mind.
Am I depressed/anxious because of the massive schedule change? To some degree. I agree with what the study is saying: the dreaming comes from the depressed emotional state, and not the other way around. But, at some point couldn't scary/frequent dreams make someone feel MORE depressed?
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la_kevin
USA
351 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2007 : 21:20:27
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The more I'm depressed or anxious, the more I have intense dreams and roll around with this "fear" hanging over me.
I would agree. |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2007 : 23:12:00
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I have been dreaming a lot lately and have also been tireder than usual, so this relationship may explain why. I am not sure it's because of depression in my case, but I have a lot going on psychologically that I am working on, and I think the dreams are related.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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depression and dreams
