Embracing sleep-onset complexity.
Célia Lacaux, Mélanie Strauss, Tristan A Bekinschtein, Delphine Oudiette
Trends in Neurosciences April 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.02.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | N1 sleep Cognition Drowsiness Falling asleep Sleep-onset disorders |
| Key findings | Proposes that the sleep-onset period, often treated as a mere prelude, has distinct neural, cognitive, and clinical features that warrant further investigation and may offer cognitive benefits. |
Abstract
Sleep is crucial for many vital functions and has been extensively studied. By contrast, the sleep-onset period (SOP), often portrayed as a mere prelude to sleep, has been largely overlooked and remains poorly characterized. Recent findings, however, have reignited interest in this transitional period and have shed light on its neural mechanisms, cognitive dynamics, and clinical implications. This review synthesizes the existing knowledge about the SOP in humans. We first examine the current definition of the SOP and its limits, and consider the dynamic and complex electrophysiological changes that accompany the descent to sleep. We then describe the interplay between internal and external processing during the wake-to-sleep transition. Finally, we discuss the putative cognitive benefits of the SOP and identify novel directions to better diagnose sleep-onset disorders.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Where is my mind? A neurocognitive investigation of mind blanking. Trends in Cognitive Sciences March 12, 2025
- Behavioral, experiential, and physiological signatures of mind blanking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 30, 2025
- Dream-like mental states can occur during wakefulness. Cell Reports April 7, 2026
- Exploratory study of non-ordinary states of consciousness during sleep show distinct electrophysiological features from wakefulness and canonical sleep stages. Scientific Reports September 29, 2025
- Visuoaffective day residue in hypnagogia involves sequential bihemispheric interactions between cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar structures. Communications Biology July 4, 2025
Cites 27
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- Microcognitive science: bridging experiential and neuronal microdynamics. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Conscious experiences and high-density EEG patterns predicting subjective sleep depth. Current Biology December 20, 2021
- Microdream neurophenomenology. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2017
and 22 more in the library