In class and in your text, we have been talking about sleep and biological rhythms. Sleep is one of those behaviors that continues to baffle biopsychologists. We can't live without it, but just what is its function?

We don't know a lot about the whys of sleep, but we do know some things about what influences sleep. We'll be talking about them this week, and you should consider how these factors might influence your own sleep.

For this assignment, however, you should not change any of your behavior patterns. Rather, just sleep when you usually do, and get up when you usually get up.

Your mission for the week is to keep a sleep and dream diary. Use the handouts you are given in class (you can also download them here) to note when you go to bed and how long you are in bed before you fall asleep, when you awaken, and what you are thinking about when you awaken. If you can recall your dreams, jot down a few notes about them right away. If you cannot recall any dreams, jot down the first few things that come to mind when you wake up, even if these are fleeting images. (It is okay to write down something like "had fleeting images of something (but I am not sure of what) when I woke up").

Each day, complete your sleep diary. At the end of the week, you will be asked to review your diary to see if there are any patterns you can deduce, and to submit your diary and final thoughts about it to your instructor.

Helpful Links on Sleep:

Improving your sleep (an article in the New York Daily News)

Are you getting enough sleep? A sleep inventory from the University of Iowa

Got Sleep? An article from the CalTech Student Health Center

National Sleep Foundation: lots of information and fun sleep facts here (including the results of a national sleep poll--find out what kind of sleeper you are)!