Illustration of superman in a dream
How the Brain Paints Your Dreams
Learn how your brain creates dreams while you sleep.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
  • 4 min.
Your selections: Sleep
Russell Foster: Why Do We Sleep?
What do we know about sleep? Not a lot, it turns out, for something we do with one-third of our lives.
  • TED
  • 22 min
Roundup: Sleep and the Brain
Sleeping is key for a healthy brain, but it's still a mysterious part of life.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
What happens to your brain when you are sleep-deprived?
Although scientists continue to debate the purposes and benefits of sleep, one thing is clear: sleep deprivation is really bad for brain function.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
The Secret to Memory? A Good Night’s Sleep
A good night's sleep can strengthen memories and promote creative thinking.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
How Smartphones Keep You Awake
Your smartphone addiction isn't helping you sleep. In fact, an obscure chemical reaction may be keeping you awake.
  • American Chemical Society
  • 3 min
What Color is Tuesday? Exploring Synesthesia
What if the number 7 tasted like chocolate? What if Monday was purple? This is what life is like for someone with synesthesia. Learn more about this fascinating neurological trait with this video.
  • TED
  • 4 min
Brain and Behavior Lesson Plan
Students are introduced to brain structure, neurotransmitters, hormones, and neural networks in this nine part lesson.
  • Baylor College of Medicine
Sleep Memory Connection
Explore the stages of a good night's sleep and the research linking sleep to memory.
  • PBS
Why do some people toss and turn during sleep if your body is "paralyzed" to keep you from reenacting dreams?
Tossing and turning generally occurs during very brief arousals from sleep during the night.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
Brain Activity During Sleep
Although sleep appears to be a passive and restful time, it actually involves a highly active and well-scripted interplay of brain circuits, resulting in sleep’s various stages.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
The Sleep-Wakefulness Cycle
Why do we get sleepy? There are two main determining factors: the circadian system (time of day or night) and how long we have been awake.
  • BrainFacts/SfN
How Is Sleep Regulated?
What is the difference between sleep and wakefulness? Much of it depends on which brain systems are activated.
  • BrainFacts/SfN

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