'Quietest place on earth’ causes hallucinations

I have come across the following video and article by Nguyen today and had to re-blog it. It is difficult for me to even imagine how quiet this anechoic chamber in Orfield Laboratory really is. I wonder about the connection between such chamber and let's say being imprisoned in a solitary confinement. Prolonged exposure or stay in both conditions seems to have negative impact on a human being.

"While we all can appreciate getting some peace and quiet every now and then, you might be surprised to learn that there’s only so much of it the brain can take.
That’s what scientists have discovered based on the reported experiences of those who have spent some quality alone time in Orfield Laboratory’s anechoic chamber, a room that’s so soundproof, it’s officially listed as the “Quietest place on earth,” according to Guinness World Record."

(by Tuan C. Nguyen)

Click Here For Full Article

Dying to Be Thin

Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders are on the rise. What can be done to help those who are suffering? (Aired December 12, 2000 on PBS) 

This spring, as we discuss psychological disorders, we will place a higher emphasis on the issue of eating disorders than we have in the previous years. Aside from all other relevant information about eating disorders, my aim is to look at the impact of various cultures and the world that we live in, on what we do and the choices we make. This PBS story is an excellent way for students to start thinking about this issue, and others related.

A NOVA Production by Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. for WGBH/Boston © 2000 WGBH
Educational Foundation and Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

Are We Wired For Mobile Learning?

"Because of the proliferation of new technologies, the younger generation today is outgrowing traditional forms of education – remember pencils, chalkboards, textbooks and graphing calculators? Whether we are in the car, on the train, at work, or in a classroom, mobile technology in particular is giving us the ability to learn on-the-go. See the infographic below to learn why we are wired for mobile learning, and how we can use mobile technologies to educate ourselves."  (Voxy on 02/22/11)

Via: Voxy Blog

Lying is common at age two, becomes the norm by three

"They're too young to need to fib about lipstick on their collar or even their unfinished homework but a new study finds the majority of three-year-olds are already practising liars. Deception in very young children has been documented before, but this is the first time it has been systematically tested in a laboratory." (by Christian Jarrett BPS Research Digest)

CLICK THIS LINK FOR FULL POST

Re-blogged from BPS Research Digest

Not All Naps Are Created Equal

     According to preliminary data from the 2013 South Kent School Sleep Study, the right nap in the middle of the day serves many cognitive and health benefits. Evidence from recent studies on the topic also shows that the opposite is true. Not only can brief sleep episode of non-REM sleep help improve memory, alertness, and decision making, but excessive prolonged napping can result in drowsiness, memory loss, and other cognitive impairments (Tucker, 2006). 

A graph showing that those 15 students (in red) who regularly nap for a period of 25- 60 minutes wake up refreshed from their nap, while those with longer naps report fatigue and signs of sleep inertia. 

   At South Kent, many of the students' naps  tend to exceed the recommended 25-45 "power nap" minutes, and last over an hour. Typically, when a student wakes up from a 90+ minute nap, he will likely experience sleep inertia-- grogginess, disorientation, confusion and fatigue. These symptoms are characteristic of just having experienced slow moving delta waves of stage 3, stage 4, and eventually faster waves of REM sleep (rapid eye movement), during which dreaming takes place. 

     The South Kent psychology class has collected wide range of "sleep" data from majority of students on campus. Students' naps in particular were a major focus of the study as many students take regular naps during the academic week. As we predicted, although well intended, some of these mid-day naps do not seem to serve their purpose of rejuvenation. 

     If a student taking a nap enters stage 3 and stage 4 of deep sleep, he probably did not experience enough, or adequate stage 3 and 4 sleep during the previous night. Having several nights of insufficient deep sleep with REM cycles, the student's body will accumulate a sleep debt. This sleep debt will make itself known the next day, as the the student dozes off in class or fights to stay awake throughout the day. Finally, when nap time comes, the body will compensate for last night’s lack of deep sleep and REM by entering the very stages of deep sleep during the nap, waking up some 90 minutes later relatively tired. 

How to take a healthy "power nap"

- A good nap should be approximately 25-45 minutes.
- You should feel refreshed upon waking up from 25-45 minute nap.
- You typically should not dream during a 25-45 minutes nap.
- You should only be in stage 1 & 2 (fast moving Alpha Waves).