ELECTROMYOGRAM SUPPRESSION DURING SLEEP, DREAM RECALL, AND ORIENTATION TIME
James D. Larson, David Foulkes
Psychophysiology March 1, 1969 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1969.tb02857.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | Human subjects monitored during nocturnal sleep |
| Duration | 42 nights total |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Suppressed-EMG NREM awakenings were associated with lower dream recall and lower Dreamlike Fantasy Scale ratings compared to high-EMG NREM awakenings. |
Abstract
ABSTRACTFive subjects had their nocturnal sleep monitored (EEG, EOG, submental EMG) for a total of 42 nights. A total of 196 awakenings to retrieve sleep mentation was distributed among three awakening categories: Non‐Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep before the EMG suppression heralding REM‐sleep onset; NREM sleep immediately following the EMG suppression heralding REM‐sleep onset; and early moments of REM sleep accompanied by EMG suppression. Suppressed‐EMG NREM awakenings tended to be associated with lower dream recall frequency and lower Dreamlike Fantasy Scale ratings than did high‐EMG NREM awakenings. Orientation times upon experimental awakenings were longer on suppressed‐EMG pre‐REM awakenings than on high‐EMG pre‐REM awakenings. A momentary “deepening” of sleep (in terms of less memorable and vivid mental content and of decreased reactivity to the awakening stimulus) thus appears to accompany the pre‐REM suppression of neck and chin EMG potentials.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |