Dream content as a measure of memory consolidation across multiple periods of sleep

Blagrove, Mark (2017). Dream content as a measure of memory consolidation across multiple periods of sleep. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: Economic and Social Research Council. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-850905

Data description (abstract)

Sleep is known to play a role in making memories permanent. This project investigates how such consolidation of memories occurs during sleep. In 4 studies participants will keep a daily diary and will also produce reports of their dreams, either at home or in the sleep laboratory. How dream content is related to events from waking life will be studied. Incorporations of waking life events into dreams can be literal replications of events, indirect representations, or even metaphors.The timescale of incorporations will be examined, aiming to replicate the dream-lag effect, in which events from 5-7 days before the dream are incorporated as frequently as events from 1-2 days before the dream, with a dip in incorporations on days 3-4. This effect may indicate an approximately week-long memory processing function for sleep. Because Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM) is thought to be especially important for the consolidation of emotional memories, the project differentiates REM dreams from non-REM dreams, and emotional from neutral memories.The project also tests whether specific experimenter induced experiences are incorporated into dreams in a delayed manner, and uses a direct behavioural test of how memory consolidation occurs across several periods of sleep.

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