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Tag: sleep

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Jan 30, 2025
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Why Recurring Dream Themes?

9 min • 1,310 words • 311 comments • 280 likes • podcast (8 min)
Scott analyzes why certain themes appear in recurring dreams, proposing and examining two main theories: one based on prospective memory and another on physical sensations during sleep. Longer summary
Scott explores theories about why certain themes recur in people's dreams. He starts from an anecdote about a Jewish friend having recurring dreams about being unprepared for Shabbat, which mirrors his own dreams about being unprepared for homework or flights. He proposes that recurring dreams might be related to prospective memory - the brain's system for remembering future tasks. He then examines various common dream themes to see if they fit this theory, finding it explains some but not all types of recurring dreams. He also discusses an alternative theory about dreams being based on physical sensations during sleep, concluding there's strong evidence for the sensation theory and weaker but interesting evidence for the prospective memory theory. Shorter summary
Jun 16, 2022
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Peer Review: Nightmares

15 min • 2,322 words • 261 comments • 76 likes • podcast (18 min)
Scott Alexander provides a detailed guide on understanding, preventing, and treating nightmares, covering causes, lifestyle changes, therapies, and medications. Longer summary
This post provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and treating nightmares. It covers the potential causes of nightmares, lifestyle changes that can help reduce them, and various therapies and medications that can be effective. The author discusses the role of stress, sleep quality, and medical conditions in nightmare occurrence. The post also details specific therapeutic approaches like Image Rehearsal Therapy, Systematic Desensitization, and Lucid Dreaming Therapy, as well as the use of prazosin as a medication for nightmares. The author concludes by recommending resources for further information. Shorter summary
May 14, 2021
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Highlights From The Comments On CBT-i Apps

7 min • 1,031 words • 80 comments • 34 likes • podcast (9 min)
Scott Alexander summarizes reader comments about CBT-i apps, their effectiveness, pricing challenges, and FDA regulation. Longer summary
This post highlights key comments from readers on the topic of CBT-i (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia) apps. Scott Alexander summarizes several lower-cost CBT-i apps that readers pointed out, including Night Owl, Sleepedy, and Dozy. He also mentions a highly recommended CBT-i book. The post then addresses questions about the effectiveness of CBT-i, citing studies that show it works as well as or better than medications. Finally, it discusses challenges in the app economy, FDA regulation of health apps, and includes insights from experts in the field. Shorter summary
Mar 16, 2021
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Sleep Is The Mate Of Death

15 min • 2,183 words • 258 comments • 160 likes • podcast (17 min)
Scott examines the relationship between sleep, synaptic homeostasis, and depression, exploring how sleep deprivation temporarily alleviates depression symptoms. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses a phenomenon where sleep deprivation temporarily alleviates depression, and explores the potential connection between sleep, synaptic homeostasis, and depression. He reviews the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis of sleep, which suggests that sleep helps renormalize synaptic connections, and connects this to research indicating that depression involves a deficit of synapses. The post then delves into various subtopics related to this theory, including the roles of REM and non-REM sleep, the effects of TMS and electroconvulsive therapy, and potential connections to circadian rhythms and bipolar disorder. Shorter summary
Feb 17, 2020
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Sleep Support: An Individual Randomized Controlled Trial

9 min • 1,268 words • 88 comments • podcast (10 min)
Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial of a sleep supplement, finding no significant effect over placebo, but gains insights into his sleep patterns. Longer summary
Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a sleep supplement called Sleep Support. Initially, he experiences a dramatic improvement in his sleep patterns, but decides to rigorously test this effect. He designs an experiment using placebo pills and blind administration over 24 nights. Surprisingly, the results show no significant difference between the Sleep Support and placebo nights in terms of sleep duration, wake-up time, or subjective measures. Scott concludes that his initial perceived improvement was likely due to the placebo effect and the act of not checking the clock upon waking. Despite the supplement not outperforming placebo, Scott considers the experiment a success as it led to improved sleep habits. Shorter summary
Mar 04, 2019
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Prospiracy Theories

1 min • 127 words • 261 comments • podcast (10 min)
Scott Alexander introduces 'prospiracy theories', positive conspiracy-style memes designed to spread true and beneficial information, in response to the rapid spread of conspiracy theories on social media. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to comments on his previous post about conspiracy theories spreading faster than debunkings on Facebook. He presents a creative solution by creating 'prospiracy theories' - positive, uplifting conspiracy-style memes designed to spread true and beneficial information. The post includes four image examples of these prospiracy theories, covering topics like the benefits of exercise, the importance of sleep, the value of reading, and the positive impact of kindness. These images mimic the style of conspiracy theory memes but promote factual, beneficial information instead. Shorter summary
Oct 04, 2018
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Nighttime Ventilation Survey Results

4 min • 616 words • 26 comments • podcast (7 min)
Scott Alexander reports on a survey about nighttime ventilation interventions, finding modest overall improvements but some individual success stories. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents the results of a survey on nighttime ventilation conducted after his previous post on carbon dioxide levels. The survey, with 129 participants, explored various interventions to improve sleep quality by reducing CO2 levels. While the overall results were modest, with an average improvement of 1.4 on a 0-5 scale, some participants reported significant benefits. The most common intervention was sleeping with an open window. Despite the underwhelming results, most participants planned to continue their interventions. Scott concludes that the results are essentially negative, both for nighttime ventilation and for the reliability of informal blog surveys in producing confident data. Shorter summary
Jul 10, 2018
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Melatonin: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

34 min • 5,247 words • 154 comments • podcast (36 min)
Scott Alexander examines melatonin's effects, proper dosage, and uses for sleep disorders and circadian rhythm issues, emphasizing its dual role as a hypnotic and chronobiotic. Longer summary
Scott Alexander provides an in-depth analysis of melatonin, its effects, and proper usage. He explains that melatonin functions as both a hypnotic (inducing sleep) and a chronobiotic (shifting circadian rhythms). The post covers optimal dosing (0.3 mg, much lower than commonly available doses), use in treating circadian rhythm disorders, jet lag, and potential connections to other psychiatric conditions like seasonal affective disorder and depression. Scott also discusses personal experiences with melatonin, including its tendency to cause early waking and vivid dreams in some people. Shorter summary
Jun 16, 2014
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Things That Sometimes Help If You Have Depression

46 min • 7,128 words • 239 comments
Scott Alexander offers a comprehensive guide for treating depression, covering professional help, lifestyle changes, and supplements, emphasizing the importance of persistence in finding effective treatments. Longer summary
Scott Alexander provides a comprehensive guide for people with depression, covering diagnosis, treatment options, and self-help strategies. He starts by explaining how to determine if one has depression and strongly recommends seeing a doctor or psychiatrist. He then outlines a step-by-step treatment algorithm for doctors to follow, including various medications and therapies. The post also covers lifestyle interventions, supplements, and other strategies for those who can't or won't see a doctor. Scott emphasizes the importance of persistence in finding effective treatments and reassures readers that depression is often treatable with sufficient effort. Shorter summary
Nov 01, 2013
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Links for November

8 min • 1,134 words • 30 comments • podcast (30 min)
Scott shares and comments on various interesting links, ranging from charity history and religious debates to scientific discoveries and technological developments. Longer summary
This is a link roundup post covering various interesting articles and findings. The topics range from efficient charity and religious debates to scientific discoveries about pain medication and sleep, and from unusual technological developments to curious psychological phenomena. The post includes commentary on each link, often with Scott's characteristic humor and skepticism, particularly about certain scientific claims. The links cover subjects as diverse as tiny mobile houses, digital-biological converters, and unusual seizure triggers. Shorter summary
Mar 02, 2013
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Sleep

4 min • 508 words • 17 comments
Scott Alexander discusses his brain's arbitrary division of sleep into 'sleep mode' and 'nap mode', which interferes with establishing a normal sleep schedule, and asks for others' experiences and solutions. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes a peculiar sleep pattern he experiences, where his brain distinguishes between 'sleep mode' and 'nap mode' based on the time he tries to fall asleep. Sleep attempts after 1 AM result in longer, groggier sleep periods, while attempts before 1 AM lead to shorter, more refreshing naps. This pattern interferes with his attempts to establish a normal sleep schedule and is incompatible with standard work hours. He shares his experiences with various sleep aids and techniques, noting their limited effectiveness in addressing this specific issue. Scott asks if others have experienced similar patterns and if they've found solutions. Shorter summary