Dreaming

Dreaming

The demonstrably necessary phenomenon of dreaming would suffice to prove the importance of sleep to humans, and perhaps to other animals as well. Dreaming involves an involuntary conjuring up of sometimes magical images in a story-like sequence in which the sleeper/dreamer is usually more a participant than an observer. Most scientists agree that dreaming is stimulated by the pons and occurs during the REM phase of sleep.
Many functions have been hypothesized for dreaming. Freud postulated that dreams are the symbolic expression of frustrated desires that had been relegated to the subconsciousness, and used dream interpretation in the form of psychoanalysis he pioneered. Scientists today have become more skeptical about details of Freudian interpretation, and place more emphasis on dreaming as a requirement for organization and consolidation of recent memory and experience. Another theory is that dreaming allows an animal to play out scenarios that may help the animal avoid dangers when awake. For example, a rabbit might dream about being cornered by a lion and may play out different scenarios that might increase chances of survival should he come across a lion in reality.
Sleep deprivationMain article: sleep deprivation Failure to sleep results in progressively severe psychological and physical distress. In 1965, California teenager Randy Gardner attempted to resist sleep in an uncontrolled "experiment". As his ordeal progressed he fell into a silent stupor, bringing into doubt whether he was actually awake in any practical sense. There are occasional stories of people who are able to function with a small or no amount of sleep, in many cases due to brain damage brought on by an accident, but these cases do not appear to hold up under controlled conditions.
A study at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine showed that poor sleep and sleep deprivation in older adults can lead to earlier death, but another survey of more than a million people in the 1980s found that those who slept more than seven and a half hours tended to die a little earlier. It is difficult to perform such studies as controlled experiments, since persons with various physical and psychological problems may be inclined to sleep longer as a result of these illnesses. Long sleepers do tend to have a higher than average rate of sleep disorders, possibly artificially increasing their reported sleep time, and providing a statistical selection effect that undermines the validity of many such studies.
A 1999 University of Chicago team led by Eve Van Cauter limited a group of lean young men to four hours of sleep for 16 days. The subjects showed decreased levels of leptin and increased levels of cortisol. The subjects also increased their daily caloric intake by 1,000 calories. The team discovered that the subjects' insulin and blood sugar levels resembled the impaired glucose tolerance of prediabetics, an indication that they were no longer properly processing carbohydrates. Studies have also linked sleep deprivation to an increased incidence of obesity.
At Harvard Medical School, researchers have identified associations between sleep deprivation and illnesses ranging from hypertension and heart attacks to cancer. Poor sleepers generate increased levels of stress hormones and show more inflammatory changes in the walls of their small blood vessels, both of which contribute to elevated blood pressure. Because of their exposure to light at night, night-shift workers produce less melatonin, a hormone which not only promotes sleep but has been shown to have cancer-prevention benefits as well.
Despite the risks, sleeping less is attractive to some because of the additional time made available, and many people feel they have to sleep less to maintain their lifestyle. They may resort to trying polyphasic sleep, a method for minimizing the time spent asleep, while maximizing its effects. This is done by sleeping in short naps throughout the day, minimizing the time spent awake between each period of sleep and thus decreasing the workload of the brain while sleeping. People who take so-called power naps during the day are practicing a variation of polyphasic sleeping. In this regard, cultures where the siesta is customary are also taking advantage of alternative means of obtaining sufficient sleep.
Experiments with rats have been designed to measure the effects of severe sleep deprivation. In one, a pair of rats were placed on a platform, separated by a movable wall. Both were instrumented with electroencephalograms. Whenever the "subject" rat began to show signs of sleep the partition was moved, forcing both rats to move. The "control" rat, however, could sleep in between movements. After several weeks the "subject" rat became unable to regulate body temperature; even if allowed to sleep at this point, it died shortly afterward from septic shock.
Some recent studies concluded the cause of death in the rat experiments to be more closely related to REM deprivation, but also found the rats died in about a week less time. It is believed this is because, unlike non-REM sleep that repairs parts of the brain damaged by metabolism and free radicals, REM sleep repairs the repair center. It is unclear the degree to which the results of sleep deprivation in rats can be generalized to humans.
In sleep-deprived states less extreme than that suffered by Randy Gardner, humans display irritability, impaired cognitive function, and poor judgment. Experiments on sleep-deprived medical trainees, for example, have shown them less able to interpret EKGs and x-rays than their well rested peers. As late as early 21st century people thought that too little sleep could be negated by "paying back the sleep debt". However, recent studies have shown this to be false. After extensively prolonged period of awareness, average humans can sleep comfortably for as long as 14 hours in row, but any amount over that has no effect for health. Sleeping over it causes dizziness, lack of muscular control, numbness and several other symptoms often confronted with too little sleep.
That one major function of sleep is consolidation and optimization of memories (including "unlearning") is evidenced by studies showing that mental functions are impaired by sleep deprivation and that sleep deprivation can even be lethal. Adequate rest and a properly functioning immune system are closely related. Sleep deprivation compromises the immune system by altering the blood levels of specialized immune cells and important proteins called cytokines, resulting in an increased chance of infection. We may begin to understand why sleep deprivation is lethal if we understand sleep as a necessary period of anabolic activity for all animals, and the basic need for anabolic activity as a prerequisite for life itself

Stages of sleep

Stages of sleep
Non REM sleep (NREM), which accounts for 75-80% of total sleep time: Stage 1, with an elimination in alpha waves compared to awake resting with eyes closed. The stage is sometimes referred to as somnolence, or "drowsy sleep". It appears at sleep onset (as it is mostly a transition state into Stage 2), and can be associated with so-called hypnagogic hallucinations. In this period, the subject loses some muscle tone, and conscious awareness of the external environment: Stage 1 can be thought of as a gateway state between wake and sleep. Stage 2, with "sleep spindles" (12–16 Hz) and "K-complexes". The EMG lowers, and conscious awareness of the external environment all but disappears. This occupies 45-55% of total sleep. Stage 3, with delta waves, also called delta rhythms (1–2 Hz) is considered part of SWS and functions primarily as a transition into stage four. Overall it occupies 3-8% of total sleep time. Stage 4 is true delta sleep. It predominates the first third of the night and accounts for 10-15% of total sleep time. This is often described as the deepest stage of sleep; it is exceedingly difficult to wake a subject in this state. This is the stage in which night terrors and sleepwalking occur. Stage 5, or Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, associated with dreaming, especially bizarre, visual, and seemingly random dreams. REM sleep is predominant in the final third of a sleep period, its timing linked to circadian rhythm and body temperature. The EEG in this period is aroused and looks similar to stage 1. Sleep proceeds in cycles of NREM and REM phases. In humans, the cycle of REM and NREM is approximately 90 minutes. Each stage may have a distinct physiological function. Drugs such as alcohol and sleeping pills can suppress certain stages of sleep (see sleep deprivation below). This can result in a sleep that exhibits loss of consciousness but does not fulfill its physiological functions.
Each sleep stage is not necessarily uniform. Within a given stage, a cyclical alternating pattern may be observed.
Theories regarding the function of sleepRestorative theories of sleep describe sleep as a dynamic time of healing and growth for organisms. For example, during stages 3 and 4, or slow wave sleep, growth hormone levels increase, and changes in immune function occur. The myriad illnesses associated with sleep deprivation testify to its restorative function.
According to the Ontogenetic Hypothesis of REM sleep, the activity occurring during neonatal REM sleep (or Active Sleep) seems to be particularly important to the developing organism (Marks et al., 1995). Studies investigating the effects of Active Sleep deprivation have shown that deprivation early in life can result in behavioral problems, permanent sleep disruption, decreased brain mass (Mirmiran et al. 1983), and an abnormal amount of neuronal cell death (Morrissey, Duntley & Anch, 2004). Given sleep's heterogeneous nature, however, no single theory predominates as it is difficult to describe one single "function" of sleep.
One process known to be highly dependent on sleep is memory. REM sleep appears to help with the consolidation of spatial and procedural memory, while Slow-wave sleep helps with the consolidation of declarative memories. When experimental subjects are given academic material to learn, especially if it involves organized, systematic thought, their retention is markedly increased after a night's sleep. Mere rote memorization is retained similarly well without an intervening period of sleep.
Non-REM sleep is an anabolic state marked by physiological processes of growth and rejuvenation of the organism's immune, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. Sleep also restores neurons and increases production of brain proteins and certain hormones. Wakefulness may perhaps be viewed as a cyclical, temporary, hyperactive catabolic state during which the organism acquires nourishment and procreates. Asking the question "Why do we awaken?" instead of "Why do we sleep?" yields a different perspective toward understanding how sleep and its stages contribute to a healthy organism.

Sleep physiology

Sleep physiology
MethodologyBefore advances in the fields of neurology, neuroscience, electronics and genetics were made, scientists studied the behavioral characteristics of sleep, such as its pattern, depth and varying frequency. In more recent times, the electrical impulses generated by the brain are recorded using a device called an electroencephalograph (EEG), and individual genes relating to sleep-related brain function, such as the circadian rhythm, are isolated. Molecular biology, medical science and epidemiology all play an important role in modern studies of sleep.Sleep is often defined using specific criteria relating to EEG data. All mammals and birds fulfill the criteria for sleep based on EEG recordings. In animals where EEG data is not readily available, or their small size precludes recording EEG, behavioral and gene specific data are utilized for sleep studies.
Sleep regulationThe cycle of sleep and wakefulness is regulated by the brain stem, external stimuli, and by various hormones produced by the hypothalamus. Certain neurohormones and neurotransmitters are highly correlated with sleep and wake states. For example, melatonin levels are highest during the night, and this hormone appears to promote sleep. Adenosine, a nucleoside involved in generating energy for biochemical processes, gradually accumulates in the human brain during wakefulness but decreases during sleep. Researchers believe that its accumulation during the day encourages sleep. The stimulant properties of caffeine are attributed to its negating the effects of adenosine.The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus plays an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythms. The SCN is influenced by external light and also generates its own rhythm in isolation. In the presence of light it sends messages to the pineal gland that instruct it to cease secreting melatonin.Thus, three processes, each influenced by hormonal, neurological, and environmental factors, underlie sleep regulation:A homeostatic process determined by prior sleep and wakefulness, determining "sleep need". A circadian process determining periods of high and low sleep propensity, and high and low Rapid Eye Movement(REM) sleep propensity. An ultradian process The interrelationships and relative importance of each process and system remain uncertain.

Sleep

Sleep
Sleep is the regular state of natural rest observed in all mammals, birds and fish. Sleep is not actually "unconsciousness," but rather, it is a natural state of rest characterized by a reduction in voluntary body movement and decreased awareness of the surroundings. Therefore, since consciousness is literally the awareness of the surroundings, being asleep is just an altered state of consciousness, as opposed to being unconscious. It is heavily influenced by circadian rhythms, and by hormonal and environmental factors as well. Sleep appears to perform a restorative function for the brain and body, as evidenced by the myriad symptoms of metabolic dysfunction that result when animals are deprived of sleep (Gottlieb et al., 2005).The function of sleep in health and in disease is being increasingly studied in specialized sleep laboratories throughout the world. Not only insomnia, but more recently elucidated sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and narcolepsy are evaluated in such facilities. The increasing prevalence of sleep disorders is likely to be a function both of more sophisticated diagnostic tests and the disruption of the normal day-night cycle in modern societies.

Test Drive

Test Drive

So, the car looks great, you can picture yourself in it .. and now, the most important part - it is time for a test drive. Don’t dismiss the test drive as just part of the sales process, taking a test drive is the most important part of buying a car. Yet so many people dismiss it as formality! And if you don’t believe me, I (embarrassingly!) write from experience! The car that I’d lusted over, that ‘dream’ Lambo Kits (car) that I’d so avidly researched, I sat in it in the car dealers, fell in love and signed up on the dotted line (without taking a test drive – I didn’t feel I needed to)! Sadly, my ‘dream’ Lambo Cars, that I used for a 60 mile round trip twice a day for the next three years had a blind spot! The day I part exchanged that car, I test drove every possible replacement for my ‘dream-turned-nightmare’ car! So, how do you get the most from your test drive?

First of, if you are refused a drive then don’t buy the car. Do you want to be stuck with a car that you are not comfortable in; one where the seat is too low and gives you backache? One that has a blind spot?! The ideal road test should ideally be at least five miles to give you a chance to experience different speeds and road types and for the mechanics to warm up properly. What to check When test driving from a car dealership, most do have their own insurance – but do double check! If buying privately, check on your own policy that you are insured and check that the Lamborghini Kit Cars you are looking to buy has an MOT and up-to-date road tax. Check the condition of the car – look for any dinks, dents, scratches. Look at the condition of the tyres and look under the bonnet. (It is always best - wherever you are buying a car from – to have someone who knows a bit about them to come with you and give you a second opinion). First of all, watch the current owner drive the car – this will give you a feel for how the car is treated. For example, someone who ‘rides’ the clutch means that if you do buy the car, you may have to fork out for a new clutch soon.

Listen for unusual noises and knocking and then, it’s your turn! When driving …. • Gears - a very high biting point suggests a worn clutch • Check the steering – for a slack response and that the wheel doesn’t ‘kick’ in your hands. • For
Lambo Kit Cars with power steering, gently turn the steering from lock to lock and listen to see if the pump audibly complains • When braking, the car should pull up in a straight line and without any judders • Listen for mechanical noises, any clunks, unusual sounds that you may not have picked up when you were a passenger. eg. The engine shouldn’t sound rough • Look around the interior – look for dirty or torn seats; cracked speaker covers, check the boot etc You want the car…what next? You’ve test driven the car, you want it … so how do you make sure you get a bargain? How much you can save by negotiating on a car varies and, ultimately, depends on how much the seller is willing to accept for it at that moment in time. Being a cash buyer always gives you the edge on a sale and if you appear confident and knowledgeable, this will help your case! You’ve got a great deal on a great car!

Your Car Looks Like New. What's Your Secret?

Your Car Looks Like New. What's Your Secret?

"It looks like new! I would have never guessed that Lambo Kit Car (car)was eight years old."

That is what we owners want to hear from the people who are looking at the car, but keeping our cars looking like the late models is tough, even with today's long-lasting finishes. Dents, dings and cracked glass are several items that age the appearance of a car. Fortunately, technology has helped advance the solutions to these kinds of problems, making the fixes quicker and less expensive. With mobile repair units, these items often can be repaired on site at your home or work, adding to the convenience.

Many types of door dents or small dings are fixed without sanding, filler or painting, preserving the integrity of the vehicle's original factory finish. Technicians are using a specially designed tools that allow them to access the problem and actually massage it out. If paint touch-ups are required, the technology is available to match your vehicle and repair scratches, minor chips and blemishes on most surfaces. There are a couple of factors that have an effect on the success of this process:

The location of the dent on the car is important. For example, a dent on the edge of a door, trunk or hood probably can't be fixed using this process.
If there is paint damage or scrapes across multiple panels, this may indicate that the damage is too severe, as the paint may crack as the dent is removed.
Like dents and dings, chipped cracked glass can also diminish the value of a car. However, the fix is not necessarily a new windshield. Seventy percent of all glass damage is repairable. Using resins that are constantly being improved, technicians not only can fix your glass, but also make it stronger. In addition, the resin can create a repair that is difficult to detect. This technology can be used to repair the following types of glass damage in automobiles: star breaks, combination breaks, bulls-eyes and cracks of any length.

Before having any repairs performed, the Lambo Kit Care (car)Council reminds you to choose the facility as carefully as you would choose your automotive repair shop. Be sure to get all estimates and warranties in writing. Ask for two or three references and call them. Finally, find out what happens if you're dissatisfied with the job.