Keep a sleep/dream journal for at least 10 days

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Sleep Journal and Reflection Project

The
meaning, origin, and analysis of dreams have fascinated psychologists
since the inception of the field of psychology. Sigmund Freud, often
referred to as the father of psychology, focused a great deal of his
theoretical energy on trying to understand and interpret dreams.

Contemporary
psychologists are beginning to recognize the interconnectivity of human
physiology and psychology in a way not previously understood. This is
in part because of new interest in holistic health and in part because
of brain/body connections we are now able to see and understand for the
first time due to enhanced technology. Yoga, mindfulness, healthy
eating, meditation, holistic health – all of these practices are gaining
more traction in mainstream society and among psychological circles as
we recognize how the mind and body work together. In light of this
growing area of interest in psychology, for this assignment you will
maintain a sleep/dream journal during weeks 3 and 4, and complete an
analysis and reflection on your experience in a summary reflection paper
in week 5.

Specifically, for this assignment you will:

  • Keep a sleep/dream journal for at least 10 days throughout Weeks 3 and 4. In your journal make note of:
    • any dreams you had
    • any initial thoughts about the dream – events of the day that may relate, etc.
    • your
      general sleep schedule (if you have a tracker such as fitbit, include
      data on your sleep patterns as well – wakefulness, restlessness, times
      asleep/awake per night, total sleep, etc.)
    • your general eating habits by day
    • your general exercise habits by day
    • anything else of note in your psychological or physical health (stress, excitement, changes, etc.)
  • You may use any format you wish to record the data (notepad, computer, hardcopy spreadsheet, etc.).
  • Complete
    a 3-4 page reflection (not counting title or reference pages) in which
    you analyze the results of your sleep/dream journal. Consider how your
    psychological and physical health interacted. What patterns did you see?
    Discuss the impact that various factors such as fatigue, diet, stress
    and exercise had on your dreams and sleep patterns. Explain how this
    insight may impact your behaviors in the future to lead to better
    psychological and physical health.
  • Utilize
    at least 2 academic resources (your course readings can comprise one of
    the sources) to support your analysis and discussion.

Assignment Deadline: 11:55pm Eastern Time Sunday at the end of Week 5 of the course term. Submission should include:

  • Title page in APA format
  • Reflection minimum 3 pages, double spaced
  • Reference page in APA format
  • If desired (this is optional), a copy of the original data/journal