SLEEP AND THE BRAIN
Dr Dale Rae, Dr Gosia Lipinska, Dr Adhil Bhagwandin, Dr Greg Symons and Professor Mark Solms, University of Cape Town
Sleep is not only critical for survival, but healthy sleep ensures we thrive – physically, emotionally and cognitively. This series of lectures hones in on the basics of sleep physiology – what sleep is exactly, how it is regulated and why we sleep. It then explores the neuropsychology of sleep. Since every living creature has a period of rest or sleep every twenty-four hours it is fascinating to understand how sleep differs between animals and humans as a means to extend our understanding of human sleep. The reality is that many humans have disorded sleep, which has the potential to increase risk for disease, and impair quality of life. With this in mind the course touches on the medical aspects of sleep, with a particular focus on sleep-related breathing disorders. It ends with some captivating insights into REM sleep and dreaming.
